head of the Island's emergency planners said yesterday.

Deputy Governor Mr. John Kelly spoke after officials returning from an international hurricane conference questioned whether the Country was prepared for the worst kinds of storm, known as a category four or five.

"I don't think there's much you can do in order to prepare for a category five hurricane,'' Mr Kelly said. "We would all be in trouble.

"Bermuda is well prepared for hurricanes of the lower categories because they come and the damage that they cause is not as significant.

"Bermuda would have great difficulty in coping with such a size of hurricane.

We certainly would have to call for outside assistance.

"We have to deal with the preparations for the aftermath of a hurricane like that with the resources that we have, and they don't really lend themselves to replacing all roofs in Bermuda with hurricane-proof roofs.

"We can't avoid damage in a category five hurricane, but I would hope that if people abide by the advice given out there would not be any loss of life.'' Mr. Kelly said a system of warning sirens had been considered by the Island's emergency measure organisation, which he chairs. But the cost would be too great, at least right now, he said.

"The EMO believes that it can alert the people of Bermuda through the arrangements that exist here, through the Police and other advance warning,'' he said.

Emergency planners had learned from Hurricane Emily, which changed course unexpectedly, that the storms cannot be disregarded until they leave the area and dissipate.

And residents would soon be told the results of research into which homes were at risk from high water during a hurricane.