Lisa Toppled Homes, Ripped Roofs Off in Belama Phase 4

The quantum that will have to be spent to assist hurricane victims to recover their losses will no doubt be in the tens of millions of dollars. Almost every street in Belize City had at least one property that suffered some damage of loss due to the storm. And in the Belama Phase Four area, that was much the same story. News Five’s Marion Ali reports.

Marion Ali, Reporting

When we drove along Apollo Street in the Belama Phase Four area of Freetown, Shawn Wade was on his roof top trying to cover nail down whatever pieces of zinc he could recycle to protect the rest of his household belongings from another shower. His humble dwelling and that of his next door neighbour, Jaime Williams lost their roofs. They were at home when it happened.

Jaime Williams, Lost Roof

Jaime Williams

“We just watch the house when the breeze come through it ih ker the top nuh. We couldn’t do nothing fi stop it. Soh we just watch it goh and we pray fi the best. We still alive nuh.”

Shawn Wade

Shawn Wade, Lost roof

“The whole roof, the whole ceiling, everything just blow off. Whole ah the inside get wet up and mi flooring cause the water raise, the whole flooring soak up with water, the whole inside ah mi bedroom bruk up. I mi deh right ya. Whole night I deh ya. I neva want goh no way cause ah neva want lose mi thing dehn and that da all weh ah got soh ah neva want lose nothing. And I still lost.”

On another street not far away, Yolanda Villanueva , her husband and two small children were also inside their small home when it toppled over.

Yolanda Villanueva, Hurricane victim

Yolanda Villanueva

“When she drop, we get out.”

Marion Ali

“Nobody’s hurt though.”

Yolanda Villanueva

“No.”

Marion Ali

“And did you save anything?”

Yolanda Villanueva

“Yeah.”

Marion Ali

“Where do you live now?”

Yolanda Villanueva

“Right here with my sister.”

Father Scott Giuliani from Divine Mercy Church was in the area handing out food packages when we showed up.

Father Scott Giuliani, Divine Mercy Church

Father Scott Giuliani

“There’s some real serious needs here and we’re just trying to do our small part. We can’t help everyone but we can help some people.”

Marion Ali

“Okay, so what are you doing?”

Father Scott Giuliani

“Some hot food, some dry foods, assessing some of the roofing situations. We usually try help the ones most in need.”

Jacqueline Welch finds herself also in need, but of roofing material after a portion of her roof and ceiling caved in. Luckily, she did not endure the harrowing experience.

Jacqueline Welch, Hurricane victim

“I was at my sister’s house for the hurricane and then my son lives in the states and he got a picture from my neighbour and he tried to reach us on my sister’s phone and that was when I knew that the roof had blown off. So we came here this morning and we found all the sheetrock down and the entire roof of the dining area gone and we tried to clear up since but we still have a long way to go.”

But people like Welch, Villanueva, Wade and Williams will receive help from the government after their needs are assessed. In the meantime, they are trying to put up a temporary covering until that help arrives. Marion Ali reporting for News Five.