Omar downgraded to tropical storm in Atlantic

WASHINGTON, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Hurricane Omar was downgraded to a tropical storm on Thursday night as it lost some of its punch after passing through the islands of the northern Caribbean, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

Omar, a powerful Category 3 hurricane on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale of hurricane intensity on Wednesday, had sustained winds of 70 miles per hour (112 kph) as it moved northeastward through the Atlantic Ocean, the hurricane center said in its 11 p.m. (0300 GMT Friday) advisory. (Editing by Peter Cooney)