Hurricane season has now begun and the people of Bermuda must take sensible precautions, Minister of Safety Randy Horton told the House of Assembly on Friday.

He pointed out that the National Hurricane Centre in the United States has warned that the season ? running June 1 to November 303 ? is likely to be a busy one. Up to ten significant storms are expected in the North Atlantic, although the 2006 season is not expected to be as busy as last year which was the deadliest on record with 28 named storms and 15 hurricanes.

The Minister reflected upon killer hurricanes of recent times including Fabian, which killed four people in Bermuda in 2003, and Katrina which killed more than 1,500 in the Unites States last August. He urged residents the Island to take sensible steps to combat the hurricane threat. These included:

Making sure shutters can be fastened tightly

Making sure outdoor furniture can be quickly secured

Having a supply of basic materials such as batteries, candles and tarpaulin.

Mr. Horton recommended that people refer to the brochure entitled Emergency Plan for the General Public, which was delivered to every household earlier this year.