Four people are missing feared dead after Hurricane Fabian tore up homes and wiped out electricity and telephones overnight in the worst storm ever to hit the Island.

Two Police and a civilian Police officer in one car and a civilian in another were swept into the Causeway yesterday afternoon and have not been found, despite the vehicles being recovered.

Amazingly, the Causeway, where walls were ripped off by high winds and massive waves, is expected to re-open later this afternoon to traffic one way, Police Commissioner Jonathan Smith said at an Emergency Measures Organisation (EMO) press conference at lunchtime.

And Bermuda International Airport is scheduled to open at 3 p.m. today after escaping structural damage, said Public Safety Minister Randolph Horton.

However, according to the US Coast Guard in Elizabeth City, New Jersey, this morning, the airport's approach instrumentation is down.

Around 25,000 out of 32,000 homes and businesses are without power today after gusts of up to 160 mph battered the Island overnight, and Bermuda Electric Light Company (Belco) is unable to say when power will be restored.

Landmark buildings such as the House of Assembly, Bridge House and Buckingham in St. George's, City Hall, Gibbs Hill Lighthouse, Sonesta Beach Hotel, the Fairmont Southampton Hotel, Temperance Hall in Hamilton Parish, and Somerset Cricket Club were all damaged.

Premier Alex Scott said at the EMO press conference that the whole Island would pull together to see Bermuda through the crisis.

He said the Island's first category three hurricane in 40 years had been an ordeal.

"As Bermudians, we knew that Bermuda was going to do what Bermuda does best. At a time of national crisis, we come together," said Mr. Scott.

"The Island will be up and running at the earliest possible moment, not a second later."

First priority for electricity restoration was King Edward VII Memorial Hospital followed by the hotels, said Mr. Horton.

"The hotels are indeed another priority because those people visiting our Island will be taken care of. That is that way we are in Bermuda."

Belco spokesman Linda Smith-Wilson said crews trying to fix the Island's 25,000 outages were blocked by impassable roads and it was impossible to assess how long-term the damage was.

She said crews were having difficulties getting an emergency generator to powerless Warwick camp because of debris on Middle Road.

She was unable to say when overseas crews would arrive to help

"We don't know how long it will be before the main lines come back on. They are the priority. Once they are on we can work on the secondary lines."

King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, which was almost totally blocked off during the storm, has taken "hundreds" of calls since the roads were cleared and taken on extra staff.

Mr. Horton said the Island does not need any medical supplies from overseas, but after an assessment later today, they may call for help for tarpaulin, rope and generators.

He said Government was confident it can get the power grid up and running without outside help.

Bermuda awoke to scenes of devastation with roads across the Island blocked by falling trees and hotels along the South Shore seeing bars and restaurants wiped out, while rooms and roofs were badly damaged.

Three Police workers and are still missing after their Police car and a civilian car were washed into the Causeway on Friday afternoon. One civilian is also still missing.

The two cars were recovered late this morning, but the four people were still missing.

One of those missing, Gladys Saunders, a civilian duty officer at St. George's Station and sergeant in the Police reserves, is a step-mother of Royal Gazette employee Carla Zuill.

Ms Zuill said she believed the two other officers were taking Mrs Saunders, a mother-of-three, home after finishing a shift at 2 p.m.

As they went across the Causeway, followed by another car, they became stranded and a rescue attempt by fire services was thwarted. Fire fighters on a rope trying to rescue them were washed into the water but escaped to safety.

Ms Zuill said from the rescue scene this afternoon: "We are all just here waiting now. My dad is strong. He is sad, but he has accepted there is a possibility that she may not come back."

The West End appeared to be the worst hit, but there was flooding in all parts of the Island.

At Bermuda's largest hotel, the Fairmont Southampton, suites were knocked out on the fifth floor and the roof damaged. It will be shut for two weeks.

Beachside restaurants at Elbow Beach and Sonesta Beach were also wiped away.

Bermuda clawed its way back to life today with Works and Engineering crews and Bermuda Regiment soldiers clearing roads.

The community spirit Premier Scott was hoping for was in evidence as neighbours helped one another to unblock smaller roads.

Police Commissioner Jonathan Smith urged Islanders to check their neighbours were okay but he said blocked roads were hampering people reaching hospital.

"There is widespread devastation across the Island. Foliage is down from one end of the island to the other, there are major blockages of main roads right the way through the Island."

He Government had been offered overseas assistance and was assessing what help was needed.

"We are community that prides itself on looking after its neighbours.

"We need an early assessment about whether there is a dire need for any medical attention. I am asking all residents to check your neighbour."

Bermuda Weather Service meteorologist Brian Kolts reported 110 mph winds, gusting up to 125 miles per hour but said there were unconfirmed reports of 160 mph.

He said there was also an unconfirmed report of a tornado in St. David's in Smith's Sound but there was no official rainfall count.

He said: "Most of it was going sideways."

At the Causeway this morning, residents and tourists lined up to look at the damage.

Grotto Bay guests Arnold and Geraldine Hannah from Connecticut were hoping to fly out on Monday but look to have been stranded.

"This is going to kill tourism and I think this is the major problem," said Mr. Hannah.

Harbour Radio's newly installed $200,000 radar dish on top of Gibbs Hill Lighthouse, which was only installed last month, was reduced to a piece of mangled metal.

Three mariners - brothers Jay and Vaughan Simmons and Brendan Robinson - had a lucky escape after surviving for ten hours in 20 foot swells while trying to save their 46-foot boat Santafold, which broke its moorings at Spanish Point.

"My life flashed before my eyes a few time," said Mr. Robinson.

"Being in that water was not a nice thing. I don't think I have ever seen anything like it and I don't think I will again. We are lucky to be alive."