much of the country is isolated and so information is trickling through. Three-quarters of the country had no electricity overnight, while the numbers of people injured - or perhaps dead - haven't even begun to be counted. Many parts of Jamaica's western side are under water, with homes destroyed by strong winds after the hurricane 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 alive." (BBC)