Miami, Florida (CNN) -- After intensifying into a hurricane, Tomas was lashing the islands of St. Lucia and St. Vincent with heavy rains and gusty winds on Saturday, forecasters said.
Earlier, as a tropical storm, Tomas damaged homes and downed power lines on Barbados, according to the Miami, Florida-based National Hurricane Center.
As of 2 p.m. ET, Tomas was located about 10 miles (15 kilometers) northeast of St. Vincent and about 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of St. Lucia. the Hurricane Center said. Its maximum sustained winds were at 75 mph (120 kph), making Tomas a Category 1 hurricane, although it is expected to further intensify.
The storm was moving west-northwest at 12 mph (19 kph), the hurricane center said. "The center of Tomas will pass near St. Lucia and St. Vincent this afternoon and enter the eastern Caribbean Sea by tonight," forecasters said.
A hurricane warning was in effect for St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Lucia and Martinique, forecasters said. A tropical storm warning was in effect for Barbados, Tobago, Grenada and Dominica.
A wind gust of 48 mph (78 kph) with a gust to 69 mph (110 kph) was reported on St. Lucia on Saturday, and a gust of 51 mph (82 kph) was reported on Martinique. Earlier Saturday, a wind gust of 63 mph (100 kph) was reported on Barbados, and the Barbados Meteorological Service reported damage to homes and downed power lines on the island.
Tropical storm conditions were occurring on St. Lucia, St. Vincent and Martinique as of Saturday afternoon, and were expected to spread across the warning areas, with hurricane conditions expected within the hurricane warning area.
CNN
