Hurricane weakens to Category 4 storm, set to hit US East Coast after thrashing Caribbean island and putting much of Freeport, Grand Bahama underwater

Storm's maximum sustained winds reach 185 mph, with gusts up to 220 mph, tying the record for the most powerful Atlantic hurricane to ever make landfall; no deaths reported

US National Hurricane Center reports 'catastrophic conditions' in archipelagic state, as storm surge forecasted to reach as high as 23 feet

US states on southeast seaboard brace for storm, which is expected to move northeastward after passing over the Bahamas

National Hurricane Center says Category 2 storm expected to strengthen into potentially catastrophic Category 4 and slam into US on Monday between Florida Keys and southern Georgia

US president asks advisers if it's possible to disrupt hurricanes forming off coast of Africa by dropping atomic bomb in the eye of the storm to prevent landfall in America