storms lashing the Azores.

Over the past month the Islands have been battered by severe winter storms as 90 mph winds brought floods, uprooted trees, damaged houses and threw ships against harbour walls.

To help the victims Bermudian Helen Pimentel opened an account at Somers Mortgage and Finance just nine days ago -- and already more than $3,000 has been donated.

"Families have been left with nothing -- just the clothes they stand in,'' said Mrs. Pimentel. "People's belongings have just been washed away.'' It is expected the money will be transferred from Somers Mortgage and Finance on Monday to get the cash to the people in need as quickly as possible.

"I spoke to my father-in-law, in the Azores, and he told me about the damage.

I saw the news as well and saw that the Boy Scouts in the Azores set up a bank account at the Islands' Commercial Bank.

"A lot of people are really upset by what has happened and I spoke to Francisco Massa Flor at Somers, because he also worked in the Azores, and set up the account.'' Yesterday the Portuguese Government earmarked $13 million in aid to the mid-Atlantic Azores to repair damage caused by the violent storms.

The Cabinet approved the one-off reconstruction funds at a meeting yesterday and declared the islands a "zone of calamity.'' Lashing rains and winds of up to 90 miles an hour winds hit the Azores early December and again over the Christmas holidays, hurling ships against harbour walls, damaging houses and uprooting trees and power lines.

The national news agency Lusa quoted Carlos Cesar, head of the Azores regional government, as saying the calamity status would also allow the archipelago to apply for emergency European Union funds to help restore normalcy.

It could take up to two years to repair the infrastructures, he said.

Mr. Cesar said the storms caused about $64 million worth of damage to harbours, houses and roads. Damage to the main harbor at Ponta Delgada ran to $10 million alone.

There were no casualties in the storms but about 20 families fled their homes due to flooding.

Anyone wanting to donate money to help the people of the Azores can call at Somers Mortgage and Finance or contact Mrs. Pimentel at the Cafe Acoreano, next to the bus terminal in Hamilton.