Hurricane Irene pounds Puerto Rico with rain, winds; could head toward US coast next

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Irene reached hurricane strength early Monday after it began moving across Puerto Rico, pounding the U.S. Caribbean territory with torrential rains and winds.

Earlier, as a tropical storm, Irene downed trees and caused widespread power outages in the U.S. Virgin Islands as it churned just miles (kilometers) from St. Croix, said Christine Lett, spokeswoman for the territory's emergency management agency.

Forecasters earlier said Irene was likely to pass south of Puerto Rico, but the storm shifted north and was passing directly over the island, said Krizia Negron, a meteorologist with the U.S. National Weather Service in San Juan as the first 70 mph (110 kph) winds began lashing the territory.

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Thomas Erdbrink 22 Aug, 2011

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