Hurricane Joaquin strengthened to a Category Four storm Saturday as it moved away from the Bahamas, where it destroyed homes, caused flooding and left hundreds without power.

"Joaquin is a strong Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale," the US National Hurricane Center said in a statement, adding that "a gradual weakening is still anticipated during the next couple of days." Saffir-Simpson is a five-point scale.