75 Persons Access Shelter in Ladyville
In Ladyville, only one of three designated shelters was opened to residents who left their homes to weather the storm at the Ladyville Community Center. At this time, the numbers have reduced from the seventy-five persons who sought refuge, as some families returned home to clean up and assess damages. There are others that have been left homeless and will have to remain at the shelter. While some risked their lives during the height of the storm to access the shelter, no one was injured and no lives were lost. News Five’s Duane Moody reports from Ladyville on the shelterees.
Duane Moody, Reporting
Up to seventy-five persons accessed the Ladyville Community Center to weather the gusty winds and rains associated with Hurricane Lisa. Not too certain about their safety at home, Judith Henry and her family, including seven children and five adults, made their way to the shelter from Perez Road, while their loved ones had to work.
Judith Henry, Shelteree, Ladyville Community Center
Judith Henry
“The area weh we come from dah wah low-lying area right. So we decide fi come because the last time a category one hit Belize and it mi really tragic so we decide fi come this time. The experience mi scary cause that dah like actually the first time we see tree di sweep the floor, things di fly over the place so we have younger kids with us this time so we decide to come and have them be safe in a shelter. Even though we have half of the family or some of the family members here, I even have my husband at work, he is a soldier; I have my sister-in-law at work, she is a prison officer, so even though we are here hoping to be safe, we are also hoping that they are safe.”
And while Henry made it to the shelter before mid-afternoon on Wednesday, Village Chairman Bernard Bennett says that a number of shelterees took the risky decision to make their way to the community center around the zero hour.
Bernard Bennett
Bernard Bennett, Chairman, Ladyville Village Council
“We did not have to open any other shelters, but it just kinda worrisome to me that people decided to stay in their homes and didn’t want to take this weather seriously. But in the future, I’d like to urge people to please do not stay in your homes especially if you know your homes cannot withstand a category one hurricane, to please go and shelter because last night Duane, we had a number of families who were basically walking to the shelter after their roofs had blown off. They got scared because of the winds and breeze, which was very dangerous because we had zinc roof flying all over the place and they probably could have lost their lives. So we urge people and citizens next time, please seek a hurricane shelter.”
Twenty-four hours after the storm made landfall south of Belize City, several families have left the shelter and returned home to assess the damages and to start cleanup where possible. Unfortunately, there are those who could not because their homes have been destroyed.
Bernard Bennett
“Some of them already went back home and some are still there. I will be going over to the shelter to do another assessment to see who will be there, will have to stay there because some of them have nowhere to go, their homes have been completely destroyed.”
About fifty to seventy-five homes in Ladyville were affected. Duane Moody for News Five.
