Sun Aug 17 02:52:53 UTC 2025: Here’s a summarized news article based on the provided text:

**News Article:**

**Catastrophic Hurricane Erin Lashes Caribbean, Threatens U.S. East Coast**

**Washington, August 17, 2025, 08:22 am IST** – Hurricane Erin rapidly intensified into a Category 5 hurricane on Saturday, unleashing torrential rain and strong winds across the Caribbean. The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned of potential flash floods and landslides as the storm churns north of the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, and east of the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeastern Bahamas.

Packing sustained winds of 150 mph, Erin is not expected to make landfall in the Caribbean, but could deliver up to six inches of rain in some areas. Tropical storm watches are in effect for several islands, including St. Martin and the Turks and Caicos.

Scientists attribute the storm’s rapid intensification, escalating from a Category 1 to Category 5 in just over 24 hours, to the effects of global warming, specifically rising sea temperatures. The NHC forecasts continued strengthening, followed by fluctuations in intensity.

Swells from Erin will impact the northern Leeward Islands, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, and the Turks and Caicos Islands through the weekend, before spreading to the Bahamas, Bermuda, and the U.S. East Coast early next week, bringing life-threatening surf and rip currents.

While Erin is expected to remain offshore, meteorologists warn of dangerous waves and erosion along the U.S. East Coast, particularly in North Carolina. Concerns remain that budget cuts at NOAA, which oversees the NHC, may impact future storm forecasting capabilities. The Atlantic hurricane season, predicted to be more intense than normal, continues until late November.

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