Hurricane Fabian could be the worst to ever hit the Island Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Randy Horton warned yesterday.

The eye of the hurricane is set to miss Bermuda by just 30 miles on Friday night but if it changed course and hit, Mr Horton said it would be worse than Emily which ripped up Bermuda and left large parts of the Island powerless for weeks in 1987.

Even if Fabian misses, people living close to the south shore have been warned to leave or board up their homes as the Island braces itself for 30-foot waves.

Earlier yesterday Fabian, a category three hurricane, had showed signs of decreasing in power as it headed north, only to pick up again.

Bermuda Weather Service predicted it would be a category three hurricane with winds of up to 154 mph by the time it passes Bermuda at 10 p.m. tomorrow.

A direct hit would do extreme damage according to classifications drawn up by the Emergency Measures Organisation (EMO) which met yesterday to discuss the crisis.

At midnight last night Fabian had maximum sustained winds of 110 knots with gusts of 135 knots.

At a press conference straight after the EMO meeting Mr. Horton said: "We have been informed that Hurricane Fabian is potentially the worst hurricane that we could ever have hit Bermuda. It could be potentially worse than Emily."

Bermuda Weather Service Director Roger Williams agreed saying, Emily had only been a category one hurricane.

He said: "We have to assume the worst case scenario. If it only changed direction very, very slightly it could come completely over the Island.

"If the storm strikes us directly by the afternoon or evening it could do substantial damage."

He said even if it passed by 60 miles to Bermuda's west it would still cause a substantial amount of damage to power lines.

"There will be substantial rainfall, probably five to seven inches of rain, there will be pounding surf along south shore, probably with 20 to 30 foot waves.

"If the storm impacts us directly we will have a surge of anything like three to six feet above normal tide levels.

"That will affect any areas, not just the south coast, even Hamilton harbour and all around the Great Sound. We need to take this very seriously.

"Potentially it could be an extremely damaging storm and one that outmatches Emily if it hits us directly."

He said the 30 foot waves outside the reef would cause coastal erosion and wash away beaches.

"Anybody down there on south shore who is fairly close to the water really should seriously consider vacating or at least seriously boarding up their properties."

Damage would be similar to that experienced when Gert hit in 1999 said Mr. Williams and he said the reef which ringed Bermuda didn't protect every area of the coast from the powerful rip tides.

He said a category four hurricane had not hit Bermuda since the early part of last century. Hurricane Arlene, a category three had hit in 1963, causing widespread damage to vegetation.

The EMO is set to meet again today at 1 p.m. to decide whether schools and public transport will be shut down.

Yesterday's EMO meeting had input from Police, the fire service, the Bermuda Regiment, Public Transport Board and the Department of Works and Engineering and Health and Family Services.

Mr. Horton said: "All agencies are prepared to deal with Hurricane Fabian should it continue on the path that it has."

He urged swimmers, surfers and sailboarders to keep out of the water during the storm as well as the build-up and aftermath to avoid risking their lives.

"We need to remember one death was recorded in 1999 and many injuries were treated at the emergency department of the hospital as a direct result of people taking to the water during hurricane conditions."

Government urged householders to bring in garden furniture and pets. Hurricane advice is available on Page 23 of the blue pages of the telephone directory said Mr. Horton.

He advised people living in flood areas to pick up an advice leaflet on dealing with hurricane floods from the Department of Communication and Information at Global House in Church Street.

Deputy Police Commissioner George Jackson urged mariners to get their boats secured early.

"We know in the past we have left things too late, but we have at least 72 hours warning this time," he said.