be set up to help residents in the event of hurricanes, tornadoes and other destructive storms.

They made the announcement yesterday in appealing for cash to help residents of tornado-struck Bob's Valley in Somerset get back on their feet.

More than $150,000 was needed to replace ruined furniture and to repair roofs and windows of some 35 homes damaged by the freak twister earlier this month.

Spokesman for the West End Ministerial Alliance, Rev. Christopher Haynes of Allen Temple AME church, noted the East End had also recently been hit by a destructive tornado (last spring), leaving dozens of residents without roofs and in several cases, homeless.

He further noted weather experts had predicted the Atlantic-Caribbean hurricane season, which starts June 1, would be the most violent in years.

Rev. Haynes said he had spoken to the heads of the East End and Central Ministerial Alliances -- whose members include several local churches and the Salvation Army -- and they were all in favour of a national disaster fund.

"We need to be prepared in the event of a serious storm,'' he said.

Sandys Parish MP and deputy Opposition leader Mr. Walter Roberts said yesterday he had already approached Health and Social Services Minister the Hon. Quinton Edness with the idea and he had shown interest.

In the meantime, Rev. Haynes said his Alliance has had to call on the community for help in raising funds to help the Bob's Valley residents.

It had come to light that most of them were not insured or had not taken out enough storm-damage coverage, he said. And two families had been left homeless.

"Even though you may notice roofs going up, it does not mean the residents are not in need of finances,'' he said. "The damage was very widespread.'' Residents lost many personal items in the storm as well as a lot of furniture -- mostly beds -- due to falling slate and rain damage. A number of windows were also smashed, he said.

"While much of the repair work is underway and some already completed, the burden of meeting the cost of these repairs is considerable -- they still owe a lot of money,'' he said.

Donations to the West End Ministerial Disaster Relief Fund can be made at any branch of the Bank of Bermuda or Bank of Butterfield.

Rev. Christopher Haynes.