Hurricane Humberto strengthens near Bermuda

Washington: Tropical Storm Humberto has strengthened in the Atlantic Ocean to become a Category-1 hurricane, the US National Hurricane Centre says.

The storm is located about 1260 kilometres west of Bermuda, with maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometres per hour, it said.

"Interests in and around Bermuda should monitor the progress of Humberto," the centre said in an advisory on Sunday.

The centre had forecast the storm's increase and earlier in the day said that it no longer posed a threat to the northern Bahamas or the east coast of the United States.

Residents of the Bahamas were relieved that they were spared a second hurricane in as many weeks.Credit: Getty Images

Humberto is expected to remain well offshore as it moves to the north-east on Tuesday and Wednesday, sparing people in the Bahamas - parts of which were already devastated by the recent Hurricane Dorian - as it turns away from the island chain.

But it is likely to strengthen further after becoming a hurricane on Sunday night, the centre said.

Bermuda appears to lie in its path, but it is unclear what impact it could have on the British territory in the north Atlantic.

Earlier this month, Hurricane Dorian levelled entire neighbourhoods in the Bahamas, with Grand Bahama and Abaco Islands worst hit.

About 1300 people remain missing, and the official death toll of 50 is still expected to significantly rise.

DPA