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Hurricane Jose has moved closer to category five strength, with tops winds of 155mph (250kmh) as it heads towards the eastern Caribbean islands ravaged by Hurricane Irma.



Jose was about 265 miles (430km) east-south-east of the northern Leeward Islands early on Saturday and is forecast to hit the outlying Caribbean islands later in the day.

The US national hurricane centre said that “air force hurricane hunters find Jose even stronger … almost a category 5 hurricane”.



It issued hurricane warnings for the eastern Caribbean islands of Barbuda and Anguilla, Sint Maarten, St Martin and St Barthélemy. A hurricane watch was in effect for Antigua, while tropical storm watch was in effect for Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, British Virgin Islands, and St Thomas and St John.

Many of Irma’s victims have already fled their devastated islands on ferries and fishing boats for fear of Jose, which is currently ranked as a category four storm that could punish some places all over again this weekend.

“I don’t think it takes a rocket scientist to know that further damage is imminent,” said inspector Frankie Thomas of the Antigua and Barbuda police.