Hurricane Joaquin gained force as an “extremely dangerous” category 4 storm as it swept through the lightly populated islands of the eastern Bahamas. Forecasters say it may grow more intense before following a path that would take it near the East Coast of the United States. There were no immediate reports of casualties as the storm reached the islands. Joaquin had maximum sustained winds of 210 km per hour and hurricane strength winds extending 75 kilometers from the eye. teleSUR