Howling winds tore off roofs

Two police officers and two civilians are thought to have been blown into the sea as they travelled along a shattered causeway connecting the main island to the airport.

Search efforts had to be suspended as winds reached nearly 200 kilometres per hour (125 mph) on Friday, but resumed on Saturday, officials said.

Hurricane Fabian has now moved away from the British dependency in the Atlantic Ocean, leaving islanders to assess the damage caused to their homes, power lines and vegetation.

The worst was over by 0500 local time (0900 GMT), according to the Miami-based National Hurricane Centre.

'Getting hammered'

"This storm is the most powerful one we've seen in years," said Bermuda government spokesman John Burchall. "The surge and the debris are making it incredibly difficult to carry out search and rescue operations."

The island has hurricane-resistant homes and a sturdy infrastructure, but the Category Three storm caused power cuts affecting more than 25,000 homes and left hospitals dependent on their own generators.

In pictures: Bermuda storm

Trees were ripped in half, tiles torn from roofs and even the satellite dish and instruments used by Bermuda's Weather Service to measure wind speeds were ripped from their moorings and lost.

Hospitals were reporting minor injuries, with many people hit by flying debris or falling on slippery roads.

"We are getting hammered. It's pretty unbelievable," Jackie Brisson told Reuters at the height of the storm.

"At the property in front of us, the yard is three feet (one metre) under water and the sea wall is collapsing."

"The waves are coming over the roofs of the houses, which are 24 feet (7.3 metres) high. It's just terrible here.

"There is debris everywhere. My pool is covered in bits of porch and palm trees," she added.

Seeking refuge

Before the storm's arrival, airports in Bermuda were closed and all flights cancelled. The howling winds covered roads with debris and rendered the causeway from the main island to the airport impassable.

Islanders sheltered in their homes or fled inland.

Many locals have swapped coastal homes for the safety of inland hotels

"It's terrific to watch but it's still intimidating," said Susan Chandler, an American tourist.

"There's so much sea-spray ...it looks like it's snowing."

But locals found ways to keep their spirits up.

"We've come up with a Fabian cocktail for our guests," said Paul S Tormey, manager of The Fairmont Hamilton Princess hotel, which has nearly 300 guests.

"The drinks will have umbrellas turned inside out."

The last powerful hurricane to hit Bermuda was Hurricane Emily in 1987, a Category One storm that caused more than US$50m in damage.

Bermuda - which was settled by British colonists who were shipwrecked on their way to Virginia - enjoys one of the highest average incomes in the world.

HURRICANE FABIAN A fully formed hurricane is a spinning vortex of winds swirling round a eye of very low pressure Warm, moist air is drawn upwards in a spiralling movement around the eye, while cooler dry air is sucked downwards by the low pressure centre. Banks of thunderstorms surround the edges of the hurricane Hurricane Fabian is a category 3 storm with winds gusting at between 111 and 130 mph, according to the Saffir Simpson scale Source: NOAA