Hurricane Matthew , the strongest storm poised for U.S. landfall in more than 10 years, blasted the Bahamas on Thursday as it headed for Florida after killing at least 260 people in the Caribbean, mostly in Haiti .

Matthew, carrying winds of 140 mph (220 kph), pounded the northwestern part of the island chain en route to Floridas Atlantic coast, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

The storm was likely to remain a Category 4 on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale of hurricane intensity as it approached the United States, where it could either take direct aim at Florida or tear along the states coast through Friday night, the center said, warning of potentially disastrous impacts.

Hurricane conditions were expected in parts of Florida later on Thursday.