Hurricane Fiona strengthens into Category 4 storm, heads toward Bermuda after pummeling Puerto Rico and other Caribbean islands

Hurricane Fiona intensified into a powerful Category 4 early Wednesday as it headed in Bermuda's direction after lashing the Turks and Caicos Islands Tuesday. Fiona was packing sustained winds of 130 mph.

It's expected to approach Bermuda late Thursday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. The U.S. State Department issued an advisory Tuesday night telling U.S. citizens to "reconsider travel" to Bermuda.

Fiona was forecast to weaken before running into easternmost Canada over the weekend. It isn't expected to threaten the U.S. mainland.

Early on Wednesday, Fiona was some 105 miles north of North Caicos Island and 755 miles southwest of Bermuda. It was moving north at 8 mph.  

The storm was blamed for at least four direct deaths in its march through the Caribbean, where it unleashed torrential rain in Puerto Rico, leaving vast numbers of people without power or water and many scraping mud out of their homes following what authorities described as "historic" flooding.