Hurricane Irene 2011: Storm Travelling North From Dominican Republic to U.S.

Hurricane Irene hit the island of Hispaniola Monday, with 100 mile per hour winds and severe rain battering the Dominican Republic, but so far missing Haiti.

The Dominican government has prepared an emergency food storage that can accommodate 1.5 million people.

We have taken all precautions, Presidential spokesman Rafael Nunez said.

Wind speeds have classifies Irene for a Category 2 determination, but that level could rise to a Category 3 hurricane on Tuesday, when the storm is expected to move over Turks and Caicos and the Bahamas. The hurricane could reach the United States by the end of the week, and Florida and the Carolinas are in the storm's current path.

Residents of Florida and the southeastern U.S. should be keeping their eyes on this storm and have their hurricane supplies ready now, hurricane center spokesman Dennis Feltgen says, according to USA Today.

The storm's path is about 500 miles wide, but the trajectory could shift and a low-pressure center may move Irene into the ocean.

On Monday, about 1,000 Dominicans left their homes, and officials warned beach-goers of harsh seas. Schools were closed and flights cancelled.

Earlier in the day, more than one million people had their power cut off in Puerto Rico. Irene also hit the British Virgin Islands, where lighting set fire to Richard Branson's private island home.