Team Effort Saved Lives Amidst Rising River at ATM Caves on Christmas Eve
The tragedy that claimed the life of Julio Escobar luckily did not result in additional deaths, but the flash floods that spread over the Cayo District on Christmas Eve left dozens of tourists stranded upriver from Caves Branch. The tourist and their guides had also gone out on an expedition – their choice was the Aktun Tunichil Muknal or ATM caves. And they too were surprised by rapidly rising rivers with no rain in the immediate area in the preceding days. But the rains over the hills emptied into the creeks and rivers that stretch across the western portion of Belize. Oscar Carbajal and Francisco Reymundo said Christmas Eve was a regular day to take a tour out. And then, like Julio Escobar, they met a raging river.
Oscar Carbajal
Oscar Carbajal, Tour Guide, ATM Caves
“This river is fed from the thousand-foot waterfalls. That’s what feeds it. It comes from the Mountain Pine Ridge, that’s the origin of this water source. The water level was low, nice and clear and we all got into the tour and then eventually when we came out, flashfloods. So we had to pool resources. Luckily we have what you call an emergency trail that comes around the hillside and it boycotts two river crossings. The last one here – I nuh know if yoh gone down to the river there – but that one we had to do but that one has a rope and that helps quite a bit nuh.”
Marion Ali
“So when you came down and you saw the flash floods, that’s not something normal that happens in this area at this time?”
Oscar Carbajal
“I wouldn’t say normal but this time of the year we usually don’t get it but it can happen. It has happened before. So we had to come along and we had the emergency trail and this last river crossing, Chaa Creek came up with some canoes which facilitated the movements, noh, to cross people over because there was about two hundred people I think who were trapped.”
Marion Ali
“Would you normally take life vests and these things on the boats?”
Oscar Carbajal
“Sometimes we don’t, but it’s a rule that we should follow and it’s mandatory but sometimes some of the guests feel like you’re strong swimmers, they don’t want to, but it’s a rule we should follow. Every guide bring life vests and should offer them to the guest them, noh.”
Francisco Reymundo
Francisco Reymundo, Tour Guide, ATM Caves
“Individual guides out here should have at least the basic knowledge when it comes to swift water and cave rescue, making sure that each individual person has a PFD on. Any activity when it comes to water, all guests and guides should have, but again in the dry season some of us use wi lee discretion and go like: “nobody will drown in water knee-deep.” But some of us still emphasize it. Personally I do. That would include life jackets, helmets is a must, headlights are a must, but yes, the life jackets are lifesavers when it comes to water and rapids especially at this time of the year, when we have unexpected rain and stuff, yeah.Sometimes people take it for granted, everything is easy and nothing will happen but it’s always good to be prepared.”
