Hurricane Kirk strengthens into a Category 4 storm in the Atlantic

Hurricane Kirk rapidly strengthened into a Category 4 storm in the Atlantic Ocean Thursday, and is expected to continue to grow – as swaths of the US are still paralyzed by the damage from Hurricane Helene.

Waves from the storm could result in life-threatening surf and rip currents over the weekend along the US East Coast, forecasters said.

Kirk currently has maximum sustained winds of 130 mph and higher wind gusts. It could intensify into a major hurricane, but it is not expected to make landfall, according to the US National Hurricane Center.

Hurricane Helene death toll hits 200 amid search and rescue efforts in one of the deadliest US storms in history

Even so, swells from the hurricane were forecasted to reach the Leeward Islands by Friday before eventually make their way to the East Coast and Bermuda on Sunday, the experts said.

As of Thursday, there were no coast watches or warnings in effect as the storm was about 1,085 miles east of the Leeward Islands.

It was moving northwest at 12 mph. A gradual turn toward the north-northwest and then northward was expected this week — but the storm is expected to remain in the Atlantic and not reach land.

Pregnant woman survived Helene floodwaters by clinging to a mattress with her dog for 8 hours

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Leslie formed late Wednesday in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and could strengthen into a hurricane by the weekend, forecasters said.

The storm was located 580 miles southwest of the southernmost tip of the Cabo Verde Islands and had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph, the hurricane center said. Leslie is expected to become a hurricane on Friday, forecasters said.

Both ferocious storm systems grew as parts of the southeastern US were still without power and running water in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

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Over 200 people were killed across six states when Helene cut a destructive path from Florida through North Carolina and into Virginia last week.

It was the deadliest storm to hit the US since Hurricane Katrina killed 1,392 in 2005.

Several of the dead are first responders who remained at their posts as the monster storm blew through.

One week later, search and rescue crews were still scrambling to find survivors.

With Post wires

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