Residents are being urged not to panic over fuel and food supplies.

Yesterday The Royal Gazette received reports of panic stricken residents stampeding gas stations over the weekend in the aftermath of Hurricane Fabian.

Esso general manager Mark Fields last night confirmed that one of the company's stations, Esso City Automarket, had run out of fuel but supplies had been replenished within the half hour.

Many residents panicked when news emerged that the causeway had been damaged - cutting off access to the easternmost ends of the Island.

Early yesterday afternoon, the causeway was re-opened for essential vehicles only - including fuel trucks.

"We've got fuel, we've got a huge tank - probably the largest on the Island," said Esso Collectors Hill station manager Craig Cannonier yesterday.

Mr. Fields said that the company had imported a tankerload of fuel less than a week ago and that on any given day there is about three to four months fuel supply on the Island.

Esso is expecting another tanker of fuel at the end of the month.

But daily sales at the Collectors Hill and other Esso stations were almost five times normal.

"People are panicking and that's the problem," Mr. Cannonier said.

"We need people to conserve fuel."

He assured the public that fuel trucks can get across the causeway to supply stations across the Island from the fuel depots at Ferry Reach.

And he said while a lot of buying was fuelled by panic stricken residents, some were buying extra to help out others who could not make it to the gas stations.

"We've had quite a few verbal fights - no physical fights because I'm stepping in the middle and telling them they're not going to get anything unless they cool out."

He said there was absolutely no danger of running out of fuel but some people were buying up to $500 worth at a time and coming back for more on the same day.

According to the Department of Communication and Information (DCI) the airport and all airlines serving Bermuda are expected to be fully operational today.

People scheduled to travel by air, particularly those who have missed flights as a result of hurricane Fabian are asked to contact their airlines directly.

The causeway, which suffered extensive damage on Friday, was reopened to essential vehicles only early yesterday afternoon.

And the Government ferry service operated from Grotto Bay to Pilot's Wharf, Marginal Wharf and St. David's yesterday.

Chief Medical Officer John Cann yesterday issued a food advisory, cautioning residents not to buy food in bulk, restrict food purchases to canned foods only and keep perishable foods on ice if they do not have electricity or use a neighbour's refrigerator.