Jamaicans wake to devastation as hurricane causes floods, power cuts and splits city in two

The normal soundtrack that accompanies Jamaican life is silent this morning as many have woken to no electricity.

About three-quarters of the island is without power and many parts of its western side are under water, with homes destroyed by strong winds after Hurricane Melissa tore across the island with catastrophic force.

As wind and rain lashed through the night, one local official said the destruction resembled "the scene of an apocalypse movie."

With communications crippled, the true scale of the disaster remains unknown. Prime Minister Andrew Holness declared the island a "disaster area" late Tuesday, warning of "devastating impacts" and "significant damage" to hospitals, homes and businesses.

Although no deaths have yet been confirmed, Montego Bay's mayor Richard Vernon told the BBC his first task at daybreak would be "to check if everybody is....read more