Bermuda is gearing up for a six-hour lashing from Hurricane Imelda as the island closes its airport and schools over fears of major damage. The outer bands of distant Hurricane Humberto battered Bermuda yesterday ahead of a more direct pass from the newer and stronger Imelda on the tiny British territory.Humberto was passing well north of the island in the north Atlantic, but wind gusts and some rain were forecast into today.Imelda had maximum sustained winds of 85mph last night and its center was expected to be near the island this evening, the US National Hurricane Center in Miami said.A hurricane warning for Bermuda was in effect ahead of Imelda, which was expected to strengthen into a Category 2 hurricane, according to the Bermuda Weather Service.'I cannot overstate the seriousness of this threat,' Michael Weeks, Bermuda's minister of national security, said of Imelda. 'This is not, I must stress, a passing squall.'He said Bermuda would endure sustained hurricane-force winds for up to six hours starting late this evening.The island's international airport, schools and government offices closed today, and Mr Weeks said residents should have all storm preparations completed by noon.