Strong Hurricane Hits St. Croix...11/18/99

CHRISTIANSTED, U.S. Virgin Islands (AP) - Traveling in an unsteady zigzag that confounded forecasters and rattled nerves throughout the Caribbean, powerful Hurricane Lenny kept getting stronger Wednesday as it roared toward the Virgin Islands. The storm's ominous first winds and rains ripped off roofs, hurled boats onto shore and flooded homes with up to a foot of water on the island of St. Croix, which along with the British Virgin Islands was expected to bear the brunt of the storm's fury. Feeding off the warm Caribbean waters, Lenny's winds strengthened to 150 mph Wednesday, making it a Category 4 hurricane capable of extreme damage. The storm was about 20 miles south of St. Croix early Wednesday afternoon, heading northeast at 12 mph.

 

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