Hurricane Earl

Maria was forecast Sept. 17 to surge to major hurricane strength as it nears the storm-battered eastern Caribbean with 140 kilometer per hour winds, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said, on a path similar to that of mega storm Irma earlier in the month.

Storm warnings and watches went up in many of the Caribbean islands still reeling from Irma's destructive passage.

Parts of the storm-ravaged Florida Keys allowed residents to return yesterday to survey damage from Hurricane Irma, which devastated the state with high winds and storm surges that destroyed homes and left millions without power.