victims.

And a national charity to help with future disasters is also in the pipeline.

Today's effort will target those not properly insured against the tornado which tore the roofs off 25 Somerset homes.

The disaster bill is likely to run to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Four Progressive Labour Party MPs have linked up with church leaders to provide disaster relief.

The MPs include deputy PLP leader Mr. Walter Roberts, Shadow Finance Minister Mr. Eugene Cox, Mr. Walter Lister, and Mr. Dennis Lister.

They are working with the East End Ministerial Association, the West End Ministerial Association, St. James' Church, and the Charity Commissioners.

Mr. Roberts said the move followed a visit to Bob's Valley in the aftermath of last Tuesday's tornado.

"I and my colleagues have walked around. Clearly some people are insured but others are partially insured and under insured and will suffer.'' Mr. Roberts said the Bermuda Housing Corporation had indicated they would offer accommodation.

"But we really need to have a system of financial assistance in place to alleviate the hardship.'' Mr. Roberts said he hoped to set up a national charity to cope with future emergencies.

"This would facilitate immediate financial help being able to be made available to persons with a real and critical need, without the requirement of having to set up separate charities for the eastern, western and central parishes, individually.'' Mr. Roberts added he had contacted the Rev. Don Moore, chairman of the trustees of the East End Ministerial Association in the hope of helping tornado victims immediately.

Yesterday Mr. Dennis Lister said he had been impressed by the way people had responded to the tornado. "Most of the work in repairing buildings is proceeding quite well,'' he said.

Mr. Lister added, however, some householders who had lost roofs were not adequately insured.

"It's really those we need to help,'' he said, although he declined to estimate how much would be needed from fund-raising.

Mr. Lister said the appeal would go out to businesses and individuals.