Over 150 Families Affected by Flooding in Corozal District
The waters are beginning to recede up north, but residents are bracing for another round of flooding later this week. Today, across the district, assessments are taking place of the damages caused by the severe weather conditions. NEMO is asking persons in low-lying areas to relocate to weather the next few days of flooding. News Five’s Duane Moody reports.
Duane Moody, Reporting
Today, we headed north to Corozal District where water levels have been receding in several villages and along low-lying areas in the town. Some two days ago, water levels had reached high into yards and in some cases up to two feet inside homes. There are still some access roads to villages that are impassable and the District NEMO Office continues to work along with several ministries and the town council to mitigate the situation.
Ronnie Hernandez
Ronnie Hernandez, Corozal District Coordinator, NEMO
“We had the areas of Libertad; we had the areas of Chula Vista, Sarteneja, San Andres and some parts of the Corozal Town that had yard flooding and we went on the ground to see the different flooding [reports] we had received. Up to today, water is receding. We have Ministry of Works on the ground. I just came back from Consejo. We had a view of it of water receding from the different yards. But what we notice is that we have some roads that are impassable. We have currently the Sarteneja, the Chunox Road where [the Ministry of] Works is doing their assessment right now and they are on the ground. Also the Caledonia Road.”
The NEMO in that northernmost district was in full action last Thursday and up to Monday, over a hundred and fifty families were affected when water inundated their yards and they were subsequently displaced. They opted to stay with relatives and friends due to the COVID-19 situation so there are no shelterees, even though at least one facility has been opened for access.
Ronnie Hernandez
“We were getting from the district emergency committee chat group a lot of inundation, yard flooding. Also the district emergency committee semi-activated in the Corozal NEMO office and we were receiving and we standby from the shelter management committee; we decided to have the keys on standby. The Guadalupe RC School was open and mitigation and access and work went to the areas of Chula Vista and different areas of Corozal Town. And works have been put out from Corozal Town Council, Ministry of Works and we have our chairpersons also on the ground that went all around Corozal Town. The assistance from the relief and supplies management committee has already been sent to the Fireburn Community. We have the Caledonia; we have the San Andres and some in Chula Vista.”
Now it is forecasted that a tropical wave that will be passing over the country on Wednesday is expected to dump more water and with the Rio Hondo River at capacity, it is anticipated that water levels will rise once again. Acting Northern Regional NEMO Coordinator, Ronnie Hernandez advises residents to evacuate early if they live in flood prone areas.
Ronnie Hernandez
“My advice is that if you know that you are in low-lying areas; try to take the precautions of moving out to a family member. We have experienced that; some of our villages have seen the importance of moving out – not during the time of the rain or the flooding. And I believe that we have one of our most enemies out there which is the COVID-19.”
Duane Moody for News Five.
