As Hurricane Irma's eye roars away from the tiny island of Barbuda and toward St. Martin, residents along its path scrambled to evacuate while stocking up on water, food and gas.
The massive eye stared down on Barbuda early Wednesday, thrashing it with howling winds before it marched along its path on the Caribbean.
Irma's eye was bigger than Barbuda, CNN meteorologist Jenn Varian said. It packed winds of 185 mph, making it one of the most powerful Atlantic storms ever recorded.
Latest developments-- Islands near its expected path Wednesday morning and early afternoon include St. Martin, Anguilla, St. Kitts and Nevis, and the British and US Virgin Islands.
-- The storm's center is expected to pass near or just north of Puerto Rico on Wednesday afternoon or night.
-- Irma then is expected to turn toward the Turks and Caicos islands and the southeastern Bahamas, where storm surges of up to 20 feet are possible, the hurricane center said.