Hurricane Erin exploded in strength to a Category 5 storm in the Caribbean before weakening on Saturday, the National Hurricane Center said.

Hurricane Erin is churning slowly toward the eastern U.S. coast and stirring up waves that already have forced dozens of beach rescues, days before the biggest storm surges are expected.

Evacuation orders were issued in North Carolina Tuesday as Hurricane Erin continued to swirl upward across the Atlantic Ocean and two disturbances followed behind it.

Hurricane Erin is forcing evacuations on North Carolina’s Outer Banks as it churns in the Atlantic where high winds and heavy rain are pelting the Turks and Caicos Islands and parts of the Bahamas.

A dangerous and potentially life-threatening situation may be about to unfold across portions of the East Coast as Tropical Storm alerts are in effect for parts of coastal Virginia and North Carolina’s Outer Banks as Hurricane Erin approaches the U.

While the storm is expected to pass to the south of the Atlantic provinces, its impact will be felt in the region.