Caribbean Islands Brace For Hurricane Erika

Yachters anchored vessels, drivers jammed gas stations and people rushed to buy emergency supplies Friday as Tropical Storm Erika strengthened into a hurricane packing 75-mph winds.

The hurricane was expected to hit the northeastern Caribbean - Antigua, Montserrat, Barbuda, Nevis, St. Kitts, Anguilla, St. Barthelemy, and Dutch and French St. Martin - by the afternoon. Puerto Rico and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands could see hurricane conditions by Sunday morning.

Friday evening, Erika was about 145 miles east-northeast of Antigua, moving west-northwest at about 12 mph and packing winds near 75 mph that could get stronger. Its motion was expected to continue through Saturday morning, placing its center near the northeastern Leeward Islands.