Hurricane Maria is forecast to strengthen over the next 48 hours as it is headed towards the Caribbean islands less than two weeks after Hurricane Irma wreaked havoc in the islands, CNN reported. The storm is likely to intensify into a Category 4 hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Centre.

Hurricane warnings have been issued for Guadeloupe, Dominica, St Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat and Martinique, AP reported. A tropical storm warning was posted for Antigua and Barbuda, St Lucia among other places.

Maria has maximum sustained winds of 85 mph. The storm is predicted to bring six to 12 inches of rain across the islands.

“On the forecast track, the centre of Maria will move across the Leeward Islands late Monday and Monday night and then over the extreme north-eastern Caribbean Sea Tuesday and Tuesday night,” the National Hurricane Centre said, according to BBC.

Irma left behind an “apocalyptic wasteland” in the Caribbean. At least 28 people have been killed. The hurricane caused unprecedented destruction in the British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, Barbuda, St Martin, St Barts, Puetro Rico, St Kitts & Nevis, and Haiti. The storm has claimed 10 lives in Cuba, while at least three people were killed in Florida, United States.