The Caribbean island nation of Jamaica has declared a state of emergency in the island's key tourist gateway of Montego Bay where authorities are battling to stem a wave of killings. <br/><br/>Thousands of police and military personnel have also been deployed in the area. British and Canadian authorities are warning their nationals visiting Jamaica's Montego Bay to limit their movements. The Jamaican government's action on Thursday has also been supported by the country's Opposition. <br/><br/>Montego Bay has seen its murder rate rise over several years with a record 335 deaths last year. Most of the deaths relate to gang violence and an illegal lottery scam that has fleeced hundreds of mostly older Americans out of millions of dollars. <br/><br/>Jamaica, with a population of 2.7 million, has one of the world's highest murder rates.