Hurricane Luis

Maria is expected to become a dangerous major hurricane as it nears the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean, reported BBC. 

The category one hurricane will rapidly strengthen over the next 48 hours and will hit the islands late on Monday, the US National Hurricane Center says.

It is moving roughly along the same path as Irma, the hurricane that devastated the region this month.

Hurricane Irma has caused widespread destruction across the Caribbean, reducing buildings to rubble and leaving at least 10 people dead.

The small island of Barbuda is said to be "barely habitable". Officials warn that St Martin is almost destroyed, and the death toll is likely to rise.

Irma is a category five hurricane, the highest possible level.

Powerful Hurricane Irma cut a swathe of deadly destruction as it roared through the Caribbean on Sept. 6, as two other tropical storms, Jose in the Atlantic Ocean and Katia in the Gulf of Mexico, were upgraded to hurricane status.

Monster Hurricane Irma slammed into  the island of Barbuda early yesterday as it barreled its way across the Caribbean packing ferocious winds and potential for towering coastal surges.

The authorities of the Bahamas have begun the largest evacuation in the history of the country because of Hurricane Irma, the world news agencies reported.