by Manal Barakat, SeaNewsEditor

Late last week, Hurricane Erin formed in the Atlantic and has shown rapid escalation over a short period.

The latest updates show that the hurricane has maximum sustained winds near 130 mph with higher gusts, making it a Category 4 hurricane.

The storm has already caused disruptions in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, leading to power outages and flight cancellations.

On Sunday, the US Coast Guard set Port Condition FOUR for all seaports in the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

This means that ports may resume normal cargo and ship operations, and are open to all outbound and inbound vessel traffic.

Nevertheless, mariners are advised to exercise caution due to potential floating debris.

The National Hurricane Centre has reported that Erin is forecast to pass east of the southeastern Bahamas on August 18 and then track between Bermuda and the US East Coast by midweek, according to USA Today.