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AP - Four people were still missing after the dark clouds of hurricane Fabian lifted, revealing the devastation wrought by the most powerful hurricane to hit Bermuda in 50 years.
The storm, which unleashed 193kph winds when it slammed into the British territory pulverised trees, sheared off rooftops and left tens of thousands of homes without power.
The storm has now moved on and the reality of the devastation set in.
"We have experienced a considerable beating," said John Burchall, a spokesman for the Bermuda government. Damage estimates were expected to take days.
Divers were looking for the missing - two police officers and two civilians - whose vehicles were swept off a causeway, but poor visibility hampered the search.
Nine people sought medical attention for minor injuries, according to Valerie Pethen, another government spokeswoman. Most roads to hospitals had been cleared.
Power was still out in 26,000 homes because debris was blocking repair crews. Dozens of people remained in five shelters, and others were staying at hotels because of damage to their homes. Hospitals had power but many hotels were running on generators.
Hurricane Fabian's lashing winds shattered part of a wall in the airport causeway and officials said a decision would be made whether to reopen.
There were reports of widespread flooding, and unconfirmed reports of looting. Many of Bermuda's famed golf courses were in ruins.
Premier Alex Scott toured damaged areas.
"I am so very glad I am a Bermudian because I know what is going to happen next," Scott said. "We are going to come together like we always do. The world will watch us and learn about real community."
Dwayne Caines, a police spokesman, said the hurricane did major damage to the roofs of many homes.
"We've gotten lots of reports of slate that covers many roofs blowing away. We've had minor structural damage from debris such as broken windows and downed power lines."
Three men survived six-metre swells after spending 10 hours at sea during the worst of the storm. Jay Simmons' 13-metre boat broke its moorings at central Spanish Point, but he wouldn't let the new $US200,000 ($A312,000) boat go down without a fight.
Simmons, 44, enlisted his brother Vaughan Simmons, 46, and Brendan Robinson, 48, to save the vessel, although Robinson was swept overboard in choppy seas.
"My life flashed before my eyes a few times," he said. "I don't think I have ever seen anything like this and I don't think I will again. We are lucky to be alive."
At 5pm (0700 Sunday AEST), Fabian was about 1,385km north-east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Isabel had formed about 1,060km west of the Cape Verde Islands.
Isabel, the ninth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, had maximum sustained winds of 64kph and was expected to strengthen as it moved west at about 22kph.
It was not expected to make landfall for several days.
Fabian tested Bermuda's vaunted ability to withstand a fierce storm. The wealthy British territory requires newly built houses to withstand sustained winds of 177kph. It also has a sturdy infrastructure with many of its power and phone lines underground.
Bermuda had not seen a Category 3 hurricane like Fabian since 1953, when Edna ravaged the island chain with its 185kph winds.
©AAP 2003
The storm, which unleashed 193kph winds when it slammed into the British territory pulverised trees, sheared off rooftops and left tens of thousands of homes without power.
The storm has now moved on and the reality of the devastation set in.
"We have experienced a considerable beating," said John Burchall, a spokesman for the Bermuda government. Damage estimates were expected to take days.
Divers were looking for the missing - two police officers and two civilians - whose vehicles were swept off a causeway, but poor visibility hampered the search.
Nine people sought medical attention for minor injuries, according to Valerie Pethen, another government spokeswoman. Most roads to hospitals had been cleared.
Power was still out in 26,000 homes because debris was blocking repair crews. Dozens of people remained in five shelters, and others were staying at hotels because of damage to their homes. Hospitals had power but many hotels were running on generators.
Hurricane Fabian's lashing winds shattered part of a wall in the airport causeway and officials said a decision would be made whether to reopen.
There were reports of widespread flooding, and unconfirmed reports of looting. Many of Bermuda's famed golf courses were in ruins.
Premier Alex Scott toured damaged areas.
"I am so very glad I am a Bermudian because I know what is going to happen next," Scott said. "We are going to come together like we always do. The world will watch us and learn about real community."
Dwayne Caines, a police spokesman, said the hurricane did major damage to the roofs of many homes.
"We've gotten lots of reports of slate that covers many roofs blowing away. We've had minor structural damage from debris such as broken windows and downed power lines."
Three men survived six-metre swells after spending 10 hours at sea during the worst of the storm. Jay Simmons' 13-metre boat broke its moorings at central Spanish Point, but he wouldn't let the new $US200,000 ($A312,000) boat go down without a fight.
Simmons, 44, enlisted his brother Vaughan Simmons, 46, and Brendan Robinson, 48, to save the vessel, although Robinson was swept overboard in choppy seas.
"My life flashed before my eyes a few times," he said. "I don't think I have ever seen anything like this and I don't think I will again. We are lucky to be alive."
At 5pm (0700 Sunday AEST), Fabian was about 1,385km north-east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Isabel had formed about 1,060km west of the Cape Verde Islands.
Isabel, the ninth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, had maximum sustained winds of 64kph and was expected to strengthen as it moved west at about 22kph.
It was not expected to make landfall for several days.
Fabian tested Bermuda's vaunted ability to withstand a fierce storm. The wealthy British territory requires newly built houses to withstand sustained winds of 177kph. It also has a sturdy infrastructure with many of its power and phone lines underground.
Bermuda had not seen a Category 3 hurricane like Fabian since 1953, when Edna ravaged the island chain with its 185kph winds.
©AAP 2003
