The Salvation Army Emergency Housing Complex was expecting a record number of tenants as a result of Thursday night's storm.

To their surprise it did not happen. But, says manager Hugo Mayers, some good news could be lurking behind the figures.

"I thought that we might have been pretty pressed last night," said Mr. Mayers. But the complex, which can accommodate up to 82 people, only had 51 tenants. And three of their regulars were missing.

"I don't know where they decided to lodge. But we were expecting to bulge at the seams."

Last month the lowest number of tenants was 53. The highest number of tenants last month was recorded at 66 on September 12 - the day after the attacks on the United States. "I don't know what influenced that," said Mr. Mayers.

This month's lowest number of tenants so far is 43.

Some of the "missing" homeless may have simply decided to weather the storm in abandoned buildings or cars - an area known as "car world" is just a stone's throw from the emergency shelter.

Mr. Mayers said that in recent months, Harbour Lights, the drug rehabilitation programme, has not required use of a booth set aside for its graduates.

That, he said, could account for the surprisingly low figures on Thursday night. Each booth takes up to ten people and the fact that the programme hasn't used it in a while could mean that more recovering drug addicts are getting support from their families.