Hurricane Igor becomes 'major' Category 4 storm

Hurricane Igor strengthened rapidly into a "major" and dangerous Category 4 storm on Sunday, as it spun menacingly westward just a day after forming over the eastern Atlantic Ocean.

The US National Hurricane Center said Igor was now packing maximum sustained winds of 135 miles (215 km) per hour, giving it Category 4 status on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale of hurricane intensity. Any hurricane with top sustained winds of more than 110 mph (177 kph) is considered major and capable of causing devastating damage. (Reuters)