Earl kicks up a storm, becomes category 4 hurricane

Hurricane Earl was upgraded Monday evening to a Category 4 storm with winds of 215 km/h.

Earl has lashed the northeastern Caribbean and is setting a course for the eastern United States and Canada later this week.

The storm has been battering some islands, including Antigua and Barbuda, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Anguilla, Saint Martin, Saint Barthelemy, St. Maarten, Saba, St. Eustatius, the British and the United States Virgin islands.

Local radio stations have not reported any injuries and are broadcasting appeals from officials for people to remain.

In Antigua, at least one home has been destroyed. Emergency response officials has said that hundreds of people have moved to designated shelters.

In St. Maarten, the storm toppled trees, damaged roofs and knocked out electricity to much of the island, where the government has imposed curfew.

Cruise lines have diverted ships to other ports, and the regional airline LIAT has canceled flights were cancelled throughout the region.