Jose upgraded to Category 4 hurricane as it heads to islands already destroyed by Irma

Hurricane Jose has been upgraded as it pushes towards Caribbean islands already destroyed by Irma.

The National Hurricane Centre said that its planes had found Jose is now a Category 4 hurricane, with speeds of up to 150 miles per hour. Hurricane categories go up to 5, but it is possible that Jose will be further upgraded before it makes landfall.

The new hurricane's path passes over many of the islands that took the biggest beating from Irma, including Barbuda and St Martin.

35 show all Hurricane Irma – in pictures

1/35 The wreckage in Orient Bay on the island of Saint-Martin AFP/Getty

2/35 Damage outside the Mercure hotel in Marigot, on the Bay of Nettle, on the island of Saint-Martin AFP/Getty Images

3/35 Destruction in Orient Bay on the island of Saint-Martin AFP/Getty Images

4/35 Some of the damage on Saint Martin EPA/Gerben Van Es/Dutch Department of Defence

5/35 View of the aftermath of Hurricane Irma on Saint Martin Reuters

6/35 A mobile network tower snapped in two by the hurricane on the island of Barbuda ABS TV

7/35 A house reduced to rubble on the island of Saint Barthelemy AFP/Getty Images

8/35 General view of damage on Saint Martin Reuters

9/35 A damaged Casino Royale on Saint Martin after the passage of Hurricane Irma Anna Mazur/AFP

10/35 An aerial photograph taken and released by the Dutch department of Defense shows the damage of Hurricane Irma in Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, the Dutch section of the Caribbean Island Gerben Van Es/AFP

11/35 Flooded houses in Gustavia on the island of Saint-Barthelemy Kevin Barrallon/AFP

12/35 The damage on the island of Saint-Martin, a day after Hurricane Irma hit AFP/Getty Images

13/35 People pick up debris in Fajardo as Hurricane Irma howled past Puerto Rico after thrashing several smaller Caribbean islands Reuters/Alvin Baez

14/35 A man carrying an umbrella is battered by the wind in Fajardo, Puerto Rico Reuters/Alvin Baez

15/35 A lone police car on patrol during the passing of Hurricane Irma in Fajardo, Puerto Rico Jose Jimenez/Getty Images

16/35 Haitian people walk through the wind and rain on a beach in Cap-Haitien on September 7 as Hurricane Irma approaches Hector Retamal/AFP/Getty Images

17/35 A flooded street on the island of Saint Martin AFP/Getty Images

18/35 A tree collapsed on a house in Saint Martin

19/35 A hotel in Saint Martin is gutted by floodwater during the hurricane Guadeloupe 1ère

20/35 Cars submerged in Saint Martin Rinsy Xieng

21/35 Debris floats amongst the floodwater in Saint Martin @la1ere

22/35 Household items float down the street in Gustavia, Saint-Barthélemy Carole Greaux

23/35 The coast of Saint Martin is flooded as the hurricane hits the island Météo Express

24/35 A whole street underwater in Saint Martin @la1ere

25/35 A car crashes into the tree amongst the chaos in Saint Martin @Bondtehond

26/35 A building on the Saint Martin seafront, destroyed by the hurricane @Bondtehond

27/35 A mobile home overturned at Princess Juliana International Airport in Saint Martin @Bondtehond

28/35 Palm trees bend in the wind in San Juan, Puerto Rico as Hurricane Irma slammed across islands in the northern Caribbean Reuters/Alvin Baez

29/35 A woman runs in the rain as Hurricane Irma slammed into San Juan, Puerto Rico Reuters/Alvin Baez

30/35 A picture taken on September 5, 2017 shows a view of the Baie Nettle beach in Marigot, with the wind blowing ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Irma AFP/Getty Images

31/35 A man rides past a boarded up house as part of preparations ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Irma on September 5, 2017, in the French overseas island of Guadeloupe Helene Valenzuela/AFP

32/35 Employees of the Mercure Hotel fill sand bags on the Baie Nettle beach in Marigot, as part of the preparations for the arrival of Hurricane Irma Lionel Chamoiseau/AFP

33/35 People in line at Costco, as they find out the store has ran out of water on September 5, 2017 in North Miami Michele Eve Sandberg/AFP

34/35 Night view of the city of Cap-Haitien, in the north of Haiti, 240 km from Port-au-Prince, on September 5, 2017 Hector Retamal/AFP

35/35 Bonjour Food Market in Miami prepares for Hurricane Irma Michele Eve Sandberg/AFP

Countries including France and the UK have sent resources and people to the islands in an attempt to get them resilient before Saturday, when the huge new storm is set to arrive.

Two Dutch navy ships were in St. Martin with vital supplies. And two Dutch military aircraft were being sent the island of Curacao and on to St. Martin to deliver food and water intended to last the population of 40,000 five days. The aircraft were carrying 100 extra troops to deliver aid, repair infrastructure and restore order.

Britain was sending hundreds of troops and the Royal Navy flagship HMS Ocean to Anguilla, Montserrat and the British Virgin Islands.

In Anguilla, officials reported extensive damage to the airport, hospitals, shelters and schools and said 90 percent of roads were impassable.

On Barbuda, nearly every building was damaged when the hurricane's core crossed almost directly over the island early Wednesday. About 60 percent of its roughly 1,400 residents were left homeless, Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne said.

He said roads and telecommunications systems were wrecked and recovery will take months, if not years.

"It is just really a horrendous situation," Browne said.