PONCE, Puerto Rico — Hurricane Maria, the second major storm to hit the Caribbean this month, crept toward the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico on Tuesday after it ripped through the small island nation of Dominica, causing widespread devastation.
Hurricane Maria, an “extremely dangerous” storm, regained Category 5 strength as it churned about 205 miles southeast of St. Croix in the Virgin Islands, with maximum sustained winds of 160 mph, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said early on Tuesday.
