Hurricane Maria heads toward Turks and Caicos Islands

MIAMI — 10 a.m. update

Hurricane Maria ravaged Puerto Rico, knocking out electricity to the entire island and triggering landslides and floods.

The extent of the damage is unknown because dozens of municipalities remained isolated and without communication Thursday.

Maria hit the island Wednesday as a Category 4 storm with 155 mph winds, the strongest hurricane to hit Puerto Rico in more than 80 years.

See the damage Puerto Rico sustained from Hurricane Maria below:

Uprooted trees and widespread flooding blocked many highways and streets across the island, creating a maze that forced drivers to go against traffic.

Police officers used loudspeakers to warn people that they must respect a 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew imposed by the governor.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

8 a.m. update

Hurricane Maria's large eye is passing offshore near the northeastern coast of the Dominican Republic and is heading toward the Turks and Caicos Islands, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said Thursday morning.

The Category 3 storm continues to move northwest at 9 mph and produce maximum sustained winds of 115 mph, the NHC said. It's expected to strengthen during the next day or so.

Forecasters said Maria is centered about 95 miles north-northwest of Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, and about 190 miles southeast of Grand Turk Island.

The government of the Bahamas has issued a tropical storm watch for the central Bahamas.

Channel 9 certified meteorologist Brian Shields said the storm is forecast to stay away from Florida, but there will be an increased risk of rip currents along Central Florida's coast this week. Six- to 10-foot waves are expected Sunday.

5 a.m. update

Hurricane Maria continues to lash the northeastern part of the Dominican Republic and is forecast to pass near the Turks and Caicos Islands later Thursday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

The Category 3 storm, which is producing maximum sustained winds of 115 mph and is moving northwest at 9 mph, is centered about 70 miles north of Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, and about 220 miles southeast of Grand Turk Island, the NHC said.

Channel 9 certified meteorologist Brian Shields said the storm could strengthen during the next day or so.

"Maria is still impacting the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico this morning, but will gradually be pulling away today," Shields said. "Hurricane conditions are likely in the Turks and Caicos and across the southeastern Bahamas later today and tomorrow."

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Shields said Maria is forecast to move far from Florida, but the hurricane is expected to affect rip current conditions along the state's coast.

"This weekend, Maria will be to the east of the Bahamas and about 500 miles east of Florida. It is not coming to Florida," he said. "The rip current risk will remain very high into next week and the waves will be rocking."

It's too early to tell if Maria will affect the northeastern Untied States, Shields said.

The storm, which has killed at least 10 people across the Caribbean, slammed Puerto Rico Wednesday, crushing concrete balconies and paralyzing the island with landslides, flooding and downed trees.

Cox Media Group