Hurricane Erin exploded in strength to a Category 5 storm in the Caribbean on Saturday, rapidly powering up from a tropical storm in a single day, the National Hurricane Center said.

Erin strengthened into a strong tropical storm with sustained winds of 70 mph on Thursday evening while over the open tropical Atlantic, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The center of a tropical disturbance in the Gulf has begun to move across land, bringing heavy rainfall to parts of northeastern Mexico and South Texas.