Forecasters say Hurricane Erin has exploded into a Category 5 storm in the Atlantic Ocean just north of the Caribbean.

Hurricane Erin on Saturday strengthened to a "catastrophic" Category 5 storm as it barrelled towards the Caribbean, with weather officials warning of possible flash floods and landslides."Erin is now a catastrophic Category 5 hurricane,

It quickly powered up from a tropical storm to a Category 5 in a single day, the National Hurricane Center said.