Evacuation plans being reviewed in San Pedro Town

frank panton

Because Tropical Depression number one is eerily close to Belize, it has prompted the National Emergency Management Organization to spring into action. Many residents are already stocking up for any eventuality and the depression has altered major plans that were in store for this weekend on the islands. News Five spoke late this evening with the NEMO Representative in San Pedro, Frank Panton, about the latest plans on that island leading into Saturday.

Via Phone: Frank Panton, NEMO Rep., San Pedro

“What’s happening out here is that the weather deteriorated somewhat and then it eased off a bit. But we are looking and we are tracking the storm both physically and by predictions of the models. We are basing most of our actions on our physical track as it occurs and at the present moment the center of activity of the depression—it is now determined to be a depression—at about two hundred and forty to two hundred and fifty miles east of Belize and travelling on a westward track. It would give us, at ten to twelve miles per hour, roughly twenty-four to thirty-six hours for the activity to arrive here on our shores and the track seems like it will carry it pretty close if not over San Pedro.”

Marion Ali

“What are the plans being made out there right now, overnight and into Saturday?”

Via Phone: Frank Panton

“Okay, the EOC has been opened and continues activity. We have decided to have specific meetings; we just finished one and our next meeting will be at nine o’clock tonight to view the chartered intensifying of the storm and then we will meet again tomorrow morning at five in the morning again to review. This is because we need to know how strong the storm is really expected to be and whether we will have to make an off island evacuation. If that has to be done then we have to make up our minds by tomorrow morning. Also, we have hotels that are actually very active right now and there are lots of people in town and their plans and they have to catch planes to get out of here. These are people from abroad and BETEX is having a meeting as we speak too and they have another meeting out here tomorrow. So they are pretty worried about what plans to make and it will be difficult for them because they will have to change flights at the last moment and things like that. So that’s the situation; we’re basically deciding whether to evacuate or now. We have not issued an evacuation warning. The evacuation is important if the storm becomes very strong, above a category one. If it’s just a category one we would not necessarily advise evacuation of the island but we don’t know. The San Pedro Day event was cancelled by midday by the mayor herself and all the plans for the San Pedro week which is a big activity out here, is postponed until next weekend.”

Marion Ali

“And that’s for throughout the two islands and the other coastal areas?

Via Phone: Frank Panton

“I just spoke to Caye Caulker and they have just made up their minds that they will cancel their Lobster Fest out there but I don’t know if the word is out yet.”