The Island's Portuguese community is coming together to raise money for earthquake victims in the Azores.

The mid-Atlantic islands were hit by a strong earthquake -- measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale -- that killed ten people, injured 90 and left 1,000 homeless early on Thursday morning.

The Portuguese Cultural Association held an emergency meeting on Thursday night to organise their immediate fundraising efforts.

And the 12-strong committee is now appealing for donations after opening two Azores relief funds, one at the Bank of Bermuda and one at the Bank of Butterfield.

Money can be sent straight to either fund or it can be dropped off at the Cafe Acoreana on Church Street.

The association is also planning a fundraising bingo dinner night to be held in the next two weeks. John Amaral, of the Portuguese Cultural Association, said: "We are very concerned about the damage that has been done and the people who have been displaced.'' Mr. Amaral said any money raised would help rebuild destroyed homes.

Portuguese community club, Vasco da Gama, was also holding a meeting last night to decide how they would fund raise for the islands.

Helena Pimentel, who is Portuguese and part owner of Cafe Acoreana, said: "The Portuguese community is definitely concerned about the situation.

"Even though there are no Bermudians who have family on those specific islands, it is still home to us.

"We've all been stuck to the TV to get updates. We've even gone on the Internet to see what we could learn.'' It is not just the Portuguese community who are worried about the disaster.

The Medjugorje Peace Plan Group -- a Roman Catholic charity that sends emergency supplies to disaster zones -- is also raising money for the earthquake victims.

Group leader Lucy Willitts said the group had considered sending a container of supplies to the islands but felt the situation needed "a quicker solution''.

She added: "We have a warehouse on the old American base that is full of supplies we could send but a container would take weeks to get there, so we felt that raising money would be the best help we could offer right now.'' Mrs. Milletts went to the Bishop of the Roman Catholic dioceses, Bishop Robert Kurtz, who agreed to hold a free-will offering for members of the congregation at St. Theresa's to donate money.