Intense Flooding in Western Belize
Eta is now downgraded to a tropical storm after making landfall in Nicaragua as a dangerous category four hurricane. As it moves at seven miles per hour, it is producing heavy rainfall and severe flooding in Belize and other parts of Central America and is forecasted to reorganize and strengthen in the days to come in the western Caribbean. The western area of Belize has been experiencing intense flooding with water rising significantly to dangerous levels. Today, News Five’s Duane Moody headed west and has the following report.
Duane Moody, Reporting
Over the last three days, rains have been pounding the entire country, but more so the Belize, Cayo, Stann Creek and Toledo Districts as hurricane Eta neared Nicaragua. Eta has since reduced to a tropical storm but its impact continue to be felt in Belize. Out west, the Macal and Mopan Rivers began flooding overnight and by this morning, a community behind the San Ignacio Hospital was locked off. Santiago Requeña woke up to over two feet of water in his house.
Santiago Requeña
Santiago Requeña, Evacuee
“About four o’clock this morning I got up to use the restroom and well, as I get off of my bed, I feel my foot wet; maybe about two feet already. So I start pack up; I wake up everybody, start pack up and start evacuate. I haul out my stuff more to the higher level and then I swim out. I tried to come out on motorcycle, but it was too deep so I had to swim out. It was about seven-foot already high. I had to swim out and try to get some help to bring up my family out. I went way down to Santa Familia and tried to borrow a canoe to bring my family out.”
…as early as four o’clock, distress calls were being made by residents in several areas. Responding to the call was Santa Elena resident Alberto Palma and his family who got hold of canoes and began moving people out of their homes and to safety.
They were later joined by NEMO and the B.D.F. who continued with the evacuation exercise. Except for a couple, by midday today, all families had been rescued and taken to shelters; others opted to stay with relatives.
Earl Trapp, Mayor, San Ignacio/Santa Elena
“We have two communities that are being evacuated at the moment. We have NEMO personnel, we have the police department, san Ignacio Town Council personnel and some other people that are assisting to evacuate the people from that area. The one immediately behind the hospital is about four families, but the one in the other community, it is a lot more families. I just had to assist NEMO with a couple canoes and that’s where the B.D.F. personnel are assisting to pull them out right now.”
Earl Trapp
Water levels continue to rise; streams and creeks are overflowing and the low-lying wooden bridge that connects the twin towns is submerged under six feet of water. As the rain persists, the situation is expected to get worse so Mayor Earl Trapp says that market vendors have already been relocated to the Falcon Field Park.
Earl Trapp
“From two o’clock this morning, I received a call from the market manager, town council personnel and he has been mobilising the people and their goods, moving them away from that area because the water began to rise rapidly and he was called so he began making the necessary calls and the people began mobilizing from two o’clock this morning. There is a plan to relocate the farmers to the Falcon Field temporarily because we expect the water will rise all the way to about Welcome Centre. The volume of water coming from Guatemala side will swell up the Mopan River and in turn that water will cause the Macal River to back up. That water will not be able to flow and that will cause the downtown area to flood.”
As we made our way back to the city, we stopped in at the Iguana Creek Bridge where that too was under water and this main access road to the Mennonite community of Spanish Lookout was closed until further notice.
Lennox Bradley
Lennox Bradley, Chief Engineer, Ministry of Works
“You have roads off the George Price Highway for example the Iguana Creek Bridge. That is closed. That is under flood conditions. Branch Mouth, Cable Bridge – that is under water. You have Baking Pot Ferry, that is closed. You have the low level timber that spans the Macal River between San Ignacio and Santa Elena that is closed.”
Further east, in Roaring Creek, the water is rising rapidly at the popular swimming area. Resident, Shermie Nunez says that they have been monitoring the situation and within a span of hours, the water level has gone up drastically.
Shermie Nunez
Shermie Nunez, Resident, Roaring Creek Village
“Since last night, we’ve been monitoring the rising of the water because usually the water rises very fast. Since this morning, I came to check it and then we came back and it rise two steps already covered so we know that it is rising very, very quickly. What we are worried about is snakes and animals because usually when the water rises, animals and stuff they look for dry area so they go to the nearby house. We live like a stone’s throw away and the water always goes in our yard. So I guess this time, it is going to be something very serious.”
It is expected that water levels are going to increase even further in the next couple of days. NEMO is asking for all residents to take the necessary precautions to stay safe during this time. But even though it is early to determine the extent of the devastation so far, evacuee, Santiago Requeña says his family has lost everything to the flood.
Santiago Requeña
“I couldn’t get out anything at all, at all; just a few clothes, but nothing much, everything just stay inside. I lost everything inside.”
Shermie Nunez
“We have our canoe, everything; flashlights in case the water keep rising during the night while we are asleep. We just have to be prepared. And I am asking everybody who lives close to low-lying areas, creek side and river side to be safe and monitor this water because it is not to play with.”
Duane Moody for News Five.
