Hurricane Awareness Week was launched yesterday with the stark message that storms caused 750 deaths last year alone.

Dr. Mark Guishard, Director of the Bermuda Weather Service, relayed the statistic as he urged the public to ensure preparedness for this year's season.

Only by being prepared and by listening to bulletins, warnings and Public Safety Advisories can the public safeguard their lives and property, Mr. Guishard said.

And he warned it could only take one storm to devastate a community.

"In the last year 750 people lost their lives to threats from hurricanes and tropical storms in the Atlantic basin," said Mr. Guishard.

"The causes of these deaths were mainly water-related, to do with either rainwater flooding or storm surge seawater inundation.

"There is a need for persistent vigilance during the entire hurricane season, which lasts from June 1 to November 30. The various seasonal forecasts of hurricane activity call for near to above-average tropical activity in the Atlantic basin, relative to the averages over the last 50 years.

"However, this says nothing about the potential for one or more systems to affect Bermuda."

He said: "There could be a record number of storms in the Atlantic, but none of them hit Bermuda. Conversely, there could be very few tropical disturbances, but they all come close to the Island.

"Whatever the risk is to Bermuda during this hurricane season, it only takes one storm to make a big impact, as we have seen in 1987 when Hurricane Emily was one of only seven storms in the Atlantic.

"We saw even more devastating effects from Fabian, the one hurricane to affect us in 2003, but once was enough wouldn't you say? It only takes one storm to make it an active season for us."

Mr. Guishard said that even a weak hurricane could cause major damage. He said despite only being a Category One hurricane, Emily caused an estimated $35 million worth of damage, due to its tornadoes.

Reminding the public that "preparedness reduces risk", he urged people to monitor bulletins, watches and warnings issued by the Bermuda Weather Service (BWS), and also Public Safety Advisories by the Emergency Measures Organisation (EMO).

This week BWS staff will brief non-governmental agencies such as the Salvation Army and give presentations to schools and Rotary clubs.

Television broadcasts will take place tomorrow evening on VSB and CITV, while radio programmes will run on Bermuda Broadcasting channels throughout the week.

Today, a presentation to the Hamilton Rotary Club will be broadcast live during lunch and at 6.10 p.m. on 89.1 FM.

Mr. Guishard can also be heard talking about the threat of hurricanes to Bermuda on Everest DaCosta's radio talk show on Thursday afternoon. That evening he will also present a free lecture to the public with EMO's National Disaster Coordinator, Chief Inspector Nicholas Pedro, of the Bermuda Police Service. '400 Years of Hurricanes and Bermuda' at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute between 6 p.m. and 7.30 p.m.

Yesterday, Public Safety Minister David Burch commended the BWS staff for their role in monitoring and protecting the safety of the public.

"I just want to publicly commend Dr. Guishard and his staff at the Bermuda Weather Service," said Senator Burch.

"They do an outstanding job in providing useful, invaluable, relevant and timely information upon which EMO decisions can be made.

"And as he (Dr. Guishard) will point out, he and his team can only provide predictions. They cannot control the timing of weather events. So I want to encourage the public to listen closely to what he and his team have to say and use the information wisely."

Sen. Burch said: "We have seen some acts of heroism and some acts of sheer stupidity while we are in the midst of a serious storm. It is the aim of Chf Insp. Pedro and Dr. Guishard to lay out very succinctly what residents should and should not be doing in the wake of a major storm."