Hurricane Irma is the first storm on record to maintain its Category 5 rating for such a long amount of time, the French weather service has said.

The record comes after the storm sustained maximum wind speeds of 185 miles per hour, becoming the only Atlantic hurricane to sustain such powerful wind speeds for so long.

The last hurricane is maintain such winds for even close to that long was hurricane Allen, which hit northern Mexico and southern Texas in 1980. Allen had winds of 180 mph and above for around 18 hours.

The top wind speed for Allen was 190 mph.

Satellite footage shows Hurricane Katia lining up behind Jose and Irma

Irma has killed at least 10 people as it continues its destructive march across the Caribbean.

At least eight people were killed and 23 injured in French Caribbean island territories, France's interior minister said.

Speaking on French radio France Info, French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said the death toll in Saint-Martin and Saint-Barthelemy could be higher because rescue teams have yet to finish their inspection of the islands.

Barbuda, Hurricane Irma – in pictures Show all 7 1 /7 Barbuda, Hurricane Irma – in pictures Barbuda, Hurricane Irma – in pictures A roof-less house in Barbuda ABS TV Barbuda, Hurricane Irma – in pictures A mobile network tower snapped in two by the hurricane ABS TV Barbuda, Hurricane Irma – in pictures The hurricane left debris strewn across the island Barbuda, Hurricane Irma – in pictures Rubble in the aftermath of the hurricane ABS TV Barbuda, Hurricane Irma – in pictures The destruction in Barbuda, as seen from an ABS TV helicopter ABS TV Barbuda, Hurricane Irma – in pictures As well as destroying most houses, the hurricane also left plenty of flooding ABS TV Barbuda, Hurricane Irma – in pictures Barbudan residents survey the damage ABS TV

Irma blacked out much of Puerto Rico, raking the US territory with heavy wind and rain while staying just out to sea, and it headed toward the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

To the east, authorities struggled to get aid to small Caribbean islands devastated by the storm's record 185mph (298kph) winds, while people in Florida rushed to get ready for a possible direct hit on the Miami area.

Significant damage was also reported on St. Martin, an island split between French and Dutch control.

The US National Hurricane Center predicted Irma would remain at Category 4 or 5 for the next day or two as passes just to the north of the Dominican Republic and Haiti on Thursday, nears the Turks & Caicos and parts of the Bahamas by Thursday night and skirts Cuba on Friday night into Saturday. It will then likely head north toward Florida.

President Donald Trump approved an emergency declaration for the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, allowing the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other agencies to remove debris and give other services that will largely be paid for by the US government.