Streets flood in Belama III subdivision
The weather may be beautiful but there are some homeowners in Belize City who need rubber boots to walk down the street. This morning I joined them.
It’s hard to imagine anywhere in Belize City being underwater after weeks of intense heat. But that’s exactly what has been occurring on the streets of Belama Phase Three for the past several weeks. The flooding, caused by seasonal high tides, has been concentrated mostly at the northern end of the subdivision and although by the time we ventured into the neighborhood this morning the water had receded considerably, people in the area say the situation is critical.
“Up to your ankles, sometimes pass your ankles, up above your knees.”
Jacqueline Woods
“Residents say the water which rises to about a foot and a half high, has made life miserable for them in Belama Phase Three.”
While those residents who have vehicles can drive through, it is those people who have to trek it out to the bus stop who have been trapped.
Grace Williams, Resident
“Right now at this moment, the water went off, because the tide died down a little bit, but it’s really, really terrible in the mornings after seven. The kids had a problem getting off to school. You had to back them cross or take off their tennis and socks to get them in the bus because it’s really terrible.”
Q: “How long have you residents been living with this situation?”
Grace Williams
“Well about three weeks now; this problem has become like this for three weeks now, off and on. Sometimes you go to town and by the time you reach back the water has become very high, you can’t get in, you have to take off your footwear and walk in the water.”
Williams says that while the flood is caused by high tide, the problem is made worse by poor drainage in the rapidly growing area.
Grace Willaims
“I think they need to put a culvert so the water can run through or some drainage. We need some drainage back here cause they start the drainage but it ends at Phase Two. And I think we need some drains all the way to Phase Three and we need it immediately.”
Daisy McKenzie, Resident
“Well, it affect my family a lot because I have a little girl that suffers with asthma sometimes. If she has to walk in the water morning and then in the evening take off her shoes or walk with her shoes and socks, then it start to affect her.”
According to Williams, when she called City Council to complain about the problem she was told by an employee that because the council hardly collects any taxes from the area, there is little they can do to help.
