Major hurricane Kirk intensifies to Category 3

By Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) - Hurricane Kirk in the Atlantic Ocean has strengthened into a major Category 3 storm, with maximum sustained winds of 125 miles per hour (205 kilometers per hour), the US National Hurricane Center said Thursday.

Kirk is expected to continue strengthening over the next few days, moving northwest at 10 mph (16 kph), the center said in a public advisory.

Hurricane-force winds extend 35 mi (56 km) from the center, with tropical-storm-force winds reaching 220 mi (354 km) outward.

The hurricane center warned that swells generated by Kirk could affect the Leeward Islands in the northeastern Caribbean Sea and Bermuda in the North Atlantic Ocean by the weekend, potentially causing life-threatening surf and rip currents.

As Kirk advances, authorities urged residents in potentially affected areas to monitor the hurricane's progress closely and prepare for possible impact.

A Category 3 hurricane can cause devastating damage, with major home destruction, widespread tree uprooting, road blockages, and power and water outages lasting days to weeks.

Kirk comes close on the heels of last week’s Hurricane Helene, which caused major damage in the southeastern US, leaving 180 people dead.