The hurricane killed three people in Puerto Rico, rescue workers said. The storm had also killed three people in the Leeward Islands.

Eastern Puerto Rico, which received the full blast of Georges' 175 km per hour winds on Monday, had suffered ``serious, serious damage,'' a civil defence official in Puerto Rico said.

More than 25,000 people in Puerto Rico were holed up in shelters after Georges tore across the US Commonwealth of 3.8 million, the worst storm it has seen in 50 years with more than 50 cm (20 inches) of rain, Radio Noti Uno reported.

Three people were confirmed dead after a roof collapse and dozens were missing as 50 percent of the population went without electricity early Tuesday, the radio added, amid mountains of shattered glass and scenes of desolation across the densely populated island.

Businesses were generally closed though a few pharmacies had opened their doors in the US Commonwealth, the radio reported.

US President Bill Clinton declared the territory a disaster area.

At 9 am (1300 GMT) Georges was some 100 km east of Santo Domingo, punishing the capital with violent winds and heavy downpours.

The storm was moving at 19 km an hour with winds of 175 km per hour, the US National Weather Service said.

``The country should prepare for the worst,'' said Dominican civil defense director Elpidio Baez, urging people to remain in their homes.

The Punta Cana tourist complex was ordered evacuated. The Dominican Republic and Haiti share the island of Hispaniola -- and Haiti's north coast was also under a hurricane watch, the weather service said.

Haiti declared a state of alert early on Tuesday, said Yolene Surena, head of Haiti Civil Protection.

The storm began its trek by hitting the tiny islands in the northeastern corner of the Caribbean, and did extensive damage to the Leeward Islands.

Georges tore roofs off buildings and uprooted trees in Guadeloupe, a French overseas department, and one of the first islands to be hit.

In the English-speaking Caribbean, two people died in Antigua and Barbuda; one was an elderly man who was killed when the roof of his home collapsed in the high winds.

In nearby St Kitts and Nevis, an elderly woman was killed when her home collapsed, police said.

A hurricane watch was issued for the north coast of Haiti from St Nicholas to the border with the Dominican Republic, for the southeastern Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands, and for eastern Cuba.

In the Dominican Republic, officials banned all air traffic, urged ships to remain in port, and called on residents to make preparations.

The civil defence, national emergency committee, the Red Cross, the Health Ministry, firefighters and police were dispatched to assist in preparations.

Dominican supermarkets stocked up while other business owners boarded up windows and doors.

Further along Georges' path, Cuban civil defense also ordered an alert in six eastern provinces.