Hurricane Elsa batters eastern Caribbean

Hurricane Elsa moving through the Caribbean, over Barbados (NOAA/NESDIS/STAR GOES via AP)

Elsa has strengthened into the first hurricane of the Atlantic season as it battered the eastern Caribbean, where officials closed schools, businesses and airports.

Heavy rains and winds lashed Barbados as the Category 1 storm headed for islands including St Vincent and the Grenadines, which are struggling to recover from recent massive volcanic eruptions.