WASHINGTON, Sept 2 (Reuters) - Hurricane Felix strengthened into a potentially catastrophic Category 5 storm on Sunday as it approached Central America on a path toward Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, U.S. forecasters said.

Felix, which intensified at alarming speed on Sunday as it passed north of Aruba, had top sustained winds of 165 mph (270 kph) by 8 p.m. EDT (2400 GMT), the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

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