After the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-seeks-785-billion-down-payment-for-hurricane-harvey-relief-19800">devastating Hurricane Harvey in Texas</a>, Hurricane Irma took over Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, and the northern Caribbean.

It is one of the most forceful <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/hurricane-harvey-storm-emerges-in-texas-louisiana-19482">Atlantic storms in a century--a catastrophic blend</a> of ferocious winds, surf, and life-threatening rain.

The eye of the storm is packed with terrifying winds speeding at 295 km per hour. According to the US National Hurricane Center, Irma was expected to sweep through the northern Leeward Islands, east of Puerto Rico on Tuesday night or Wednesday morning, making it to Florida landfall on Saturday.

This comes at a time when Texas and Louisiana still struggle to manage the damage done by Hurricane Harvey. The Category 4 hurricane hit Texas on August 25. An estimated 60 people were killed and more than 1 million were displaced.

According to the White House, President Trump has approved pre-landfall emergency declarations for the alerted areas, deploying federal disaster relief efforts in all jurisdictions ahead of Irma&#39;s arrival.

Workers in Puerto Rico&#39;s capital, San Juan, hurry to cover windows with plywood and corrugated metal shutters along Avenida Ashford, a stretch of restaurants, hotels and six-story apartments.

&quot;I am worried because this is the biggest storm we have seen here,&quot;Jonathan Negron, 41, told Reuters as he supervised workers boarding up his souvenir shop.

Irma has made tourists reconsider vacation plans.

&quot;I just got off the plane, and I already want to leave. I do not want to be here for this storm,&quot; Watkins said. Pointing to boarded-up oceanfront windows, she said, &quot;I see everything covered up like that and it makes me nervous,&quot; 52-year-old Denise Watkins from Texas told Reuters.

At 8 pm Eastern Time, Irma was 140 km east of Antigua in the eastern Caribbean and moving west at 24 km per hour. Maximum sustained winds of 185 mph, with hurricane-force winds extending 95 km from the storm&#39;s center.

A rare, Category 5 hurricane

The storm was upgraded to a Category 5, the highest NHC designation. While some fluctuations in intensity are likely, Irma is expected to remain a Category 4 or 5 for the next couple of days.

Only three Category 5 storms have ever hit the US. A category 5 Atlantic hurricane encompasses 32 tropical cyclones.

Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello urged the 3.4 million residents to seek refuge in one of 460 hurricane shelters in advance of the storm. Police has been instructed to evacuate the flood-prone areas in the north and east of the island.

&quot;This is something without precedent,&quot; sad Rossello. Police later confirmed that a 75-year-old man died while preparing for the storm in the island&#39;s central mountains.

Authorities in the Florida Keys ordered a mandatory evacuation of the island. Public schools throughout South Florida were ordered closed.

Julia Nu&ntilde;ez Rodriguez, a single mother of three who lives north of Santo Domingo, the Dominican capital, was most worried about the potentially high death toll. &quot;I&#39;m hoping and praying for the best,&quot; she told Reuters.

Flights to the region have been cancelled and American Airlines have added three extra flights to Miami from San Juan, St. Kitts and St. Maarten.

The Atlantic hurricane season ends on November 30.

The eye of the storm is packed with terrifying winds speeding at 295 km per hour

After the devastating Hurricane Harvey in Texas, Hurricane Irma took over Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, and the northern Caribbean. It is one of the most forceful Atlantic storms in a century--a catastrophic blend of ferocious winds, surf, and life-threatening rain. The eye of the storm is packed with terrifying winds speeding at 295 km per hour. According to the US National Hurricane Center, Irma was expected to sweep through the northern Leeward Islands, east of Puerto Rico on Tuesday night or Wednesday morning, making it to Florida landfall on Saturday. This comes at a time when Texas and Louisiana still struggle to manage the damage done by Hurricane Harvey. The Category 4 hurricane hit Texas on August 25. An estimated 60 people were killed and more than 1 million were displaced. According to the White House, President Trump has approved pre-landfall emergency declarations for the alerted areas, deploying federal disaster relief efforts in all jurisdictions ahead of Irma's arrival. Workers in Puerto Rico's capital, San Juan, hurry to cover windows with plywood and corrugated metal shutters along Avenida Ashford, a stretch of restaurants, hotels and six-story apartments. "I am worried because this is the biggest storm we have seen here,"Jonathan Negron, 41, told Reuters as he supervised workers boarding up his souvenir shop. Irma has made tourists reconsider vacation plans. "I just got off the plane, and I already want to leave. I do not want to be here for this storm," Watkins said. Pointing to boarded-up oceanfront windows, she said, "I see everything covered up like that and it makes me nervous," 52-year-old Denise Watkins from Texas told Reuters. At 8 pm Eastern Time, Irma was 140 km east of Antigua in the eastern Caribbean and moving west at 24 km per hour. Maximum sustained winds of 185 mph, with hurricane-force winds extending 95 km from the storm's center. A rare, Category 5 hurricane The storm was upgraded to a Category 5, the highest NHC designation. While some fluctuations in intensity are likely, Irma is expected to remain a Category 4 or 5 for the next couple of days. Only three Category 5 storms have ever hit the US. A category 5 Atlantic hurricane encompasses 32 tropical cyclones. Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello urged the 3.4 million residents to seek refuge in one of 460 hurricane shelters in advance of the storm. Police has been instructed to evacuate the flood-prone areas in the north and east of the island. "This is something without precedent," sad Rossello. Police later confirmed that a 75-year-old man died while preparing for the storm in the island's central mountains. Authorities in the Florida Keys ordered a mandatory evacuation of the island. Public schools throughout South Florida were ordered closed. Julia Nuñez Rodriguez, a single mother of three who lives north of Santo Domingo, the Dominican capital, was most worried about the potentially high death toll. "I'm hoping and praying for the best," she told Reuters. Flights to the region have been cancelled and American Airlines have added three extra flights to Miami from San Juan, St. Kitts and St. Maarten. The Atlantic hurricane season ends on November 30.

Hurricane Irma: Most ferocious Atlantic storm in history

An Indian student in Houston lost her life last night <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/storm-harvey-moves-inland-in-texas-rescue-operations-underway-19743">as a result of Hurricane Harvey</a>. Shalini Singh died days after being rescued from<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/harvey-makes-landfall-again-texas-death-toll-mounts-from-record-floods-19676"> a swollen lake in the badly affected area of Texas</a>.&nbsp; 
 
Last Saturday, Shalini had gone swimming to Lake Bryan along with another Indian student, Nikhil Bhatia, who was also rescued with her. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/one-indian-student-dies-another-critical-in-hurricane-ravaged-texas-19706">Nikhil died in hospital on August 30.</a>

Shalini, who belonged to Delhi, came to the US a month back to pursue a two-year masters degree in public health from Texas A&amp;M University. She did her undergraduation in Dental Surgery from ITS Dental College in Greater Noida.&nbsp;

Her younger brother and maternal uncle flew in from India and were present with her at the time of death. She was on life support until intervening night of Saturday and Sunday. The Consulate officials were constantly in touch with the family members in the hospital.

Friends and witnesses claim that Singh and Bhatia, during the swim, were pushed deeper into the lake because of a sudden current.

Friends accompanying them noticed that they were in struggling and alerted the nearby police officers.&nbsp; 
 
Bryan Police officers rescued and provided cardiopulmonary resuscitation to the duo until medics arrived, according to Bryan Mayor Andrew Nelson.

Singh will be cremated in Bryan next week.

Dr. Anupam Ray, Consul General of India in Houston,&nbsp;had been constantly keeping a check on her medical needs.

The catastrophic hurricane has affected roughly 13 million people in Texas, claiming at least 50 lives.

According to a local report, at least 150,000 Indian-Americans live in the vicinity of the area hit by the hurricane.

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25-year-old Shalini came to the US last month to pursue her masters degree in public health

An Indian student in Houston lost her life last night as a result of Hurricane Harvey. Shalini Singh died days after being rescued from a swollen lake in the badly affected area of Texas. Last Saturday, Shalini had gone swimming to Lake Bryan along with another Indian student, Nikhil Bhatia, who was also rescued with her. Nikhil died in hospital on August 30. Shalini, who belonged to Delhi, came to the US a month back to pursue a two-year masters degree in public health from Texas A&M University. She did her undergraduation in Dental Surgery from ITS Dental College in Greater Noida. Her younger brother and maternal uncle flew in from India and were present with her at the time of death. She was on life support until intervening night of Saturday and Sunday. The Consulate officials were constantly in touch with the family members in the hospital. Friends and witnesses claim that Singh and Bhatia, during the swim, were pushed deeper into the lake because of a sudden current. Friends accompanying them noticed that they were in struggling and alerted the nearby police officers. Bryan Police officers rescued and provided cardiopulmonary resuscitation to the duo until medics arrived, according to Bryan Mayor Andrew Nelson. Singh will be cremated in Bryan next week. Dr. Anupam Ray, Consul General of India in Houston, had been constantly keeping a check on her medical needs. The catastrophic hurricane has affected roughly 13 million people in Texas, claiming at least 50 lives. According to a local report, at least 150,000 Indian-Americans live in the vicinity of the area hit by the hurricane.

Hurricane Harvey: Another Indian student dies in US

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Hurricane Irma: Most ferocious Atlantic storm in history

Hurricane Harvey: Another Indian student dies in US