Residents in the West End were busy cleaning up yesterday after Hurricane Humberto battered Bermuda.

The Category 3 storm snapped utilities poles, ripped off roofs of buildings including Allen Temple AME Church, uprooted trees and downed power lines on Wednesday.

Tashae Bean said that she was at home with her family when the storm struck her house on Sound View Road, Sandys, and ripped off part of the roof.

She added: “If it would have lasted longer, I don’t think we would have had a roof at all this morning.”

Ms Bean said that the roof had also been torn off by Hurricane Fabian, a Category 4 storm that hammered Bermuda in 2003. She added: “It’s nothing that I’m not used to. It’s part of living on the island.”

Area residents worked to repair the damaged roof yesterday morning.

Ms Bean said that she loved the way the community came together to help one another in times of needs such as after a storm.

She added that she would like to see the togetherness at other times as well. Ms Bean said: “We’re an island. We should have block parties and stuff like that. You should get to know your neighbours.”

Ms Bean encouraged island residents to check on their neighbours, especially elderly members of the community.

Allen Temple, located across the street, also suffered roof damage.

The Reverend Howard Dill said the damage caused by the storm was “unfortunate”.

But he added: “Life is more important than anything.

“As we hear people say in other jurisdictions, all this stuff can be replaced at some particular point in time.”

Members of the congregation were on site yesterday morning to lend a hand to make temporary repairs.

Mr Dill said that he encouraged church members to take care of their own homes and those of neighbours first and foremost.

He added: “Some of our gentlemen before coming here were helping and assisting their neighbours.”

Mr Dill urged Bermuda’s business community not to take advantage of those left in need by Humberto.

He said: “This is a time for the businesses not to gorge with pricing. For persons who are assisting and helping people, it’s not a time to try get rich.”

Several local businesses were also damaged by the storm.

D&C Grill, on Middle Road, Southampton, lost part of its roof.

Donald Taylor, the owner of the Caribbean restaurant, said that he was not at the location when the storm hit.

He added yesterday: “This morning is when I saw what had happened.”

Mr Taylor said that employees had pitched in to tarp the roof to prevent after further damage inside the business.

Somerset Police Station lost part of its roof, although no officer injuries were reported.

Work crews were also kept busy working to clear roads and restore power to area residents.

John Martin, a Belco employee, expected a long work day ahead. He explained: “Probably straight through until midnight.”

Mr Martin said that the priority was to first restore power to the main circuits and encouraged member of the public to give space to restoration crews.