Powerful Hurricane Nicole slamming Bermuda as 'major' hurricane

Bermuda, a 21-square-mile oasis in the Atlantic for the wealthy and top destination for East Coast cruise ship travelers, is experiencing Thursday one of its strongest hurricanes since records began there in the late 19th century.
Category 4 Hurricane Nicole is blasting the island with hurricane force winds and a storm surge of 6 to 8 feet. The hurricane is the seventh hurricane to hit on or near the island in the past decade. However, it is an unusually powerful storm to hit there.
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