Hurricane Omar strengthens into Category 3 storm

Washington: Hurricane Omar strengthened into a Category 3 storm on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale of hurricane intensity on Wednesday as it headed toward Puerto Rico and the small islands of the northeastern Caribbean, the US National Hurricane Centre said.

The storm had sustained winds of 115 miles per hour (185 km per hour) as it churned about 30 miles (45 km) southeast of St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands, the Miami-based hurricane center said.