Hurricane Fiona strengthens and moves towards Bermuda

Fiona

has become a category 4 hurricane after hitting the

and causing several deaths, flooding and serious material damage as it passed through

.

According to the United States National Hurricane Center (NHC),

towards Bermuda, where it should arrive on Thursday.

The NHC has indicated that

was 170 km north of Turks and Caicos early on Wednesday and that

, the second highest on the Saffir-Simpson scale.

"Swells from Fiona are due to reach Bermuda by Thursday morning. The swells could cause

surf and current conditions, " according to the latest advisory from the NHC.

"

has proven to be an unpredictable storm," said Anya Williams, Lieutenant Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

The cyclone has not caused deaths in that British overseas territory.

So far,

: one in the French overseas territory of Guadeloupe, two in Puerto Rico and another two in the Dominican Republic.

The president of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, has declared

: La Altagracia, El Seibo and Hato Mayor.

10,000 people evacuated

Fiona

has already affected homes and has caused serious damage to the infrastructure of basic services in this country of 10.5 million inhabitants.

Authorities reported Tuesday that more than

to "safe areas" and that some 400,000 are without electricity and 1.2 million without water.

Local media images have shown residents of the

east coast city of

said Vicente López, on Bibijagua beach in Punta Cana, lamenting the destroyed businesses in the area.

The NHC has warned that

life-threatening flash floods will continue on Tuesday in parts of the Dominican Republic, a day after Fiona reached the country.

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