Bermuda braces as Hurricane Fabian closes in

RESIDENTS in Bermuda battened down and cruise ships scrambled out to sea yesterday as powerful Hurricane Fabian headed toward the mid-Atlantic island with 120mph winds.

Forecasters also raised storm warnings for parts of Florida as a tropical weather system that could become Tropical Storm Henri headed for the Sunshine State.

In Bermuda, residents hit the hardware stores, supermarkets and gas stations to stock up for what emergency officials said could be the strongest hurricane ever to hit the British colony of 62,000 people. Fabian was expected to be near Bermuda by this evening.

Emergency managers told residents on the exposed south shore to abandon or board up their homes against possible 30-foot waves.

“It looks like the centre will be very near or possibly directly over the island," said Michelle Mainelli, a meteorologist at the US National Hurricane Center in Miami.

Long lines were reported at supermarkets, where bottled water, food and batteries were flying off the shelves. Gas stations were crammed with motorists fueling their cars.

Such storms usually carry storm tides of 9-12 feet above normal, can do structural damage to small residences and may destroy small coastal buildings.

“We’re urging all residents and tourists to finish their hurricane preparations as soon as possible,” Mainelli said.

Parts of Florida's Gulf Coast were under a tropical storm warning as the swirling mass of thunderstorms that could become Henri headed east yesterday.