And the north prepares for the deluge
Waters are slowly receding in western Belize and the deluge is now moving north. Residents along the Belize River Valley and other areas are in full preparation for what can be expected in the next few days. Kendra Griffith reports from Crooked Tree.
Kendra Griffith, Reporting
The usual sound of waves lapping against the shore was of no consolation to residents of Crooked Tree today as water threatens to flood to village. The lagoon surrounding both sides of the road into the village has already covered several areas, making travelling a bit scary but possible. But that won’t be the case for very long.
George Guest, Chairman, Crooked Tree Village
“The village is okay so far except for in between the two bridges where the ebb of the water is coming over the causeway, which is coming from the north. When we get the water coming from the south and through Black Creek, pass Maypen, then we will get a water surge which should bring the water over the causeway properly and then no vehicle can come in and out of Crooked Tree.”
Kendra Griffith
“How high above normal is the water right now?”
George Guest
“Above normal, it’s about five, six feet about normal.”
Kendra Griffith
“And when that flood wave comes down, how much higher do you expect it to go?”
George Guest
“Another six feet, six to eight feet.”
Ramon Frutos, Acting Chief Meteorologist
“Come tomorrow, and the day after, all the water that has been running off here, will be heading down there. It takes about two or three days for it to reach lower reaches of the greater Belize river Valley but yes, it will be in that area and we are getting reports coming out of Crooked Tree this morning that water levels are already on the rise in that area. And if you can recall last week and over the weekend, Crooked Tree was already flooded, so with this additional amount of water, definitely water levels will begin to rise.”
According to Village Chairman George Guest, residents are used to the flooding, but they expect this bout to be in the realm of what affected them in 1979.
George Guest
“That’s what Mr. Frutos says and if his predictions are right, which they have been so far, then Crooked Tree is going to get 1979 water again. Every year they see it, but 1979 it nearly covered the whole of Crooked Tree. it went into the graveyard, it passed the graveyard which is near enough in the centre of Crooked Tree.”
Kendra Griffith
“People living along the lagoon edge, how many do you have and have they left already?”
George Guest
“Thirteen and some of them have already moved out like Bird’s Eye View Lodge, they’ve got all of their equipment and they’ve moved to the back. We’ve got a lady called Claudette Mair, we have to move her and put here in the community centre for the time being. Everybody else that you see behind you will stay where they are because they are on higher ground.”
In the meantime, the council and residents are watching and waiting… and of course getting prepared.
George Guest
“We’ve got a plan in force right now where buses go out and bring the people back. We have boats on stand-by to go and take out the people on the other side of the lagoon. Everybody will be prepared for what is going to come because they know what’s going to come. It’s the young and the youth that, they don’t know what’s going to come. But the people of the village, they’ve got more experience so they’ll lead it unto the youth and the young people in the village.”
Guest is asking for assistance in the form of fuel to run to their boats. He says they have received some from the B.D.F. and Audubon, but need more. Kendra Griffith reporting for News Five.
