Thousands without power in Puerto Rico as Hurricane Erin pummels region

Hurricane Erin regained Category 4 strength Sunday night with 130 mph winds after briefly weakening, the National Hurricane Center said. The storm, expected to remain a “large and dangerous” hurricane through midweek, has already knocked out power to thousands in Puerto Rico, where heavy rain, strong winds, and high surf continue. Advisories warn of waves up to 13 feet around Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, where two divers had to be rescued. Officials in North Carolina’s Outer Banks declared a state of emergency and ordered evacuations ahead of expected coastal flooding and life‑threatening surf, NBC News has reported. Erin, which rapidly intensified from Category 2 to 5 before fluctuating, is forecast to strengthen slightly before turning north and gradually weakening as it passes between the U.S. and Bermuda later this week.