Hurricane Erin strengthened rapidly to a Category 3 storm early Saturday as it churned towards the Caribbean, with a warning issued that flash floods and landslides were possible.It also warned of "locally considerable flash and urban flooding,

Hurricane Erin, now a Category 3 storm, is expected to strengthen and become a Category 4 hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 150-mph.

Heavy rains were forecast to start late Friday in Antigua and Barbuda, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands and southern and eastern Puerto Rico.