(AP) - Hurricane Irma has caused extensive flooding and damaged many homes in the Turks and Caicos Islands southeast of The Bahamas.

Minister of Infrastructure Goldray Ewing says damage on the most populated island of Providenciales will total at least half a billion dollars.

He says no one has yet been able to assess damage on Grand Turk and South Caicos islands.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Ewing said that a community known as Blue Hill on the northwestern side of Providenciales is "gone" and that homes have been destroyed across the island.

The Disaster Management Agency says it has no reports yet of any deaths in the British territory.

Flooding is widespread and power is out throughout the island chain. There are many downed trees and utility poles, making some roads impassable.

The storm passed near uninhabited West Caicos on Friday afternoon as it headed toward Florida.

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