Bermudians gathered in the streets across the Island this morning to clean up, assess damage and help their neighbours following the onslaught of Hurricane Fabian.

Along the South Shore of Warwick and Paget many simply buzzed about with cameras - tourists on their own island - which received a facelift at the hands of the rampaging storm.

"I am enjoying it," said Malcolm Santucci as he snapped the new shoreline ripped by the passing category three hurricane. "I got the before shots yesterday and I am taking the after ones now."

The scene was a consistent one - roofs ripped from homes, trees stripped bare or uprooted and lying across lawns, schools, churches, homes and powerlines and telephone poles strewn across roads.

In high areas of Warwick, too many homes have lost roofs to count. On average it seemed to be about one house in ten and along one stretch off Middle Road, four homes in a row had portions of the roofs crumbled like cookie crumbs and ripped away.

In Warwick Park, Charles Williams told The Royal Gazette early this morning that he watched much of the storm from his balcony before the high winds and rain drove him inside.

"I watched the plywood ripped right off that neighbour's house," he said of the protective sheets which have peeled away from the windows. "And the roof came off Mr. Johnson's house and Mr. Tucker's place too."

Another group of neighbours battled winds to reinforce sliding glass doors which were literally buckling under the winds, he added.

And he saw a cargo truck, raised into the air before being flung onto its side and dropped in a vacant lot.

Most people felt grateful this morning, however, that only property was damaged while friends and family escaped harm. "We got very lucky," Mr. Williams said, "for the kind of storm it was."

Large properties and smaller properties suffered alike and many boats were ripped from moorings in the Waterlot Inn area and flung up onto nearby islands.

But even those who suffered heavy damages were relatively cheery today.

Rosemary Watts said she was shocked yesterday when her room fell suddenly into complete darkness. "I said, `what the devil', and then just peeked out the door to take a look. What I saw was a tree, and my whole wall with it, had come down and was blocking the house."

Ms Watts stood with her daughter shaking her head with amazement at the pile of rubble which had been her perimeter wall and built-in barbeque at her Railway Trail home.

Bermudians also demonstrated their ability to pull together in the face of common adversity - lifting away trees, cleaning debris, redirecting traffic from blocked or dangerous roads.

"This is what the guys without jobs should be doing too," said nursery school operator Desiree Mathis. "Instead of complaining all the time, get out and help out."

Others seemed happy to collect newly accessible coconuts lying on the ground for a post-hurricane treat. "Too bad about the storm," said Mr. Santucci, "but they're just happy to have their coconuts."