Northern Belize Could Experience Rising Waters!

Principal Hydrologist Tennielle Hendy says that they have received reports that water is already high in some areas. For now, the Iguana Creek Bridge in Spanish Lookout is closed – as well as the low-lying bridge in the twin towns of Santa Elena and San Ignacio. Hendy says that while the north wasn’t impacted in the most recent flood, they have received reports that water is rising in some northern communities.

On the Phone: Tennielle Williams-Hendy, Principal Hydrologist

“We have received reports so far, the Iguana Creek Bridge is under water due to the recent rains that we experienced because of Hurricane Iota. We also have in the north to the Rio Hondo, which has been increasing over the past couple of weeks but it wasn’t significant but now we are seeing a rise in the Rio Hondo at Blue Creek and so we have a flood watch in effect for them; Santa Cruz; San Roman; San Antonio; Douglas – our level is showing that the levels are above normal and they are increasing slowly as well as at Tower Hill and Caledonia. Couple weeks we haven’t been having any warnings for the north of the country but we are seeing that the north is also being affected by flood conditions. On the Belize River, we are seeing again flood levels are rising and it is all the way from Iguana Creek Bridge and all the way down to Burrell Boom. We have had reports now that the water is encroaching on the actual road network and so we are seeing that all those flood levels are coming downstream and we are still receiving additional rainfall and so it means that it can further exacerbate the flooding conditions that we are seeing. In the south of the country, we are also seeing that the flood levels are increasing yet again and in accordance with our flood warning, we expect these streams to rise but they rise very quickly and fall very quickly.”