Hurricane pounded areas of the Caribbean struggling to recover from Frances have received an offer of assistance from Bermuda.

Deputy Premier Ewart Brown told yesterday that Government had offered to send aid to the Bahamas and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Hurricane Frances swept through the Bahamas last Thursday close to Nassau, the capital, and Grand Bahama Island, becoming the worst storm to hit the region in recent history.

Dr. Brown said he was in contact with Ralph Gonsalves, the Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Bahamas Prime Minister Perry Christie. Officials in the area are currently assessing the full extent of Hurricane Frances?s damage.

?There is no decision on specific assistance. As soon as they indicate the help they need we will send it,? said Dr. Brown.

He would not comment on the type of financial assistance the Bermuda Government was prepared to make.

Last week, Hurricane Frances tore up islands in the Caribbean archipelago.Deadly winds in Nassau blew out building windows and set off bursts of looting in the deserted streets as the hurricane lashed Nassau with tropical storm force winds that knocked out power in many parts.At the weekend, Frances swept into Florida killing three people, pulling down homes and cutting off power.

Emergency officials in the Caribbean region are now keeping a close eye on another hurricane, hurricane Ivan, which is moving west through the Atlantic and threatening the Islands of Barbados and St. Lucia.