Tropical Storm Alex spares life but leaves flooded streets

Alex has gained back strength and is again a tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico. Locally, the highest amount of rain was registered in the south at Barton Creek. But on Saturday News Five’s Jose Sanchez and cameraman, Alex Ellis took to the streets of the City to find out how the residents were faring.

Jose Sanchez, Reporting

Alex, the storm that was expected to hit Northern Belize and Mexico, made a diversion and went straight to Belize City at three p.m.  The rains came in intervals and at six the wind picked up.  A few people remained on the streets of the city, while the rain pummelled the old capital.  By eight p.m. Freetown Road looked like a dark swimming pool.  Two shops remained opened for business. The rising water began to creep its way into one store while Alex continued its downpour. At City Hall on North Front Street the City Emergency Management Operation, CEMO, was managing the situation for the district.

Zenaida Flowers, Chair, CEMO

zenaida moya

“We operate with ten sub-committees and each sub-committee of course is responsible for specific areas. Immediately when there is any idea of a tropical depression, storm, and hurricane; immediately we activate. And we have activated. I must say that our City Emergency Management Organization is prepared. We do meet monthly and hence the reason, we were able to activate immediately and have everything in place.”

One of the areas affected by the rains was Jane Usher Boulevard. According to Mayor Flowers, the flood forced families out of their homes to one government shelter which was opened.

Jose Sanchez

“When is it the right time to open them? And have you had anyone in the shelters so far?”

Zenaida Moya

“We have opened Excelsior High School. We have twenty-nine shelterees there as at eight-fifteen p.m., twenty-nine persons there. The shelters would be opened when we see that the need arise. For example, if in fact we know that a particular area will be flooded, we already know that that particular shelter would be opened. We know then that the Jane Usher Boulevard area is a flood prone area.”

While CEMO managed the situation on land, the military managed operations on the sea. And despite harsh weather conditions, the Coastguard was also called in to rescue two vessels off the coast of Belize.

gregory soberanis

Lt. Gregory Soberanis, Operations Officer, National Coast Guard

“The waves were extremely high, six to eight feet waves making visibility not nil, but visibility was just a few feet forward of the vessel due to the rain and the wind and the sea state. So conditions were very rough but our guys are trained, they are equipped and they are able to function in that type of environment. Early Saturday afternoon, the one was a little bit later on about thirty-thirty in the evening. The first call that we received was a vessel in the area of Bluefield Range, a thirty foot vessel with fourteen people on board. Immediately our search and rescue team was mobilized and was sent to the area to locate the vessel and individuals on board and were tasked to bring them in to safe harbour in Belize City. Our search and rescue unit located the vessel in distress, all personnel on board were safe and accounted for and we were also able to retrieve one individual, the watch keeper, for a little area near Bluefield Range. So in total, we brought in and transported fifteen personnel that evening to safe harbour in Belize City. And, as you know, the sea conditions were extremely rough that evening, the winds were very strong but as the Coast Guard, we respond to situations independent of weather conditions.”

Back on land, the water level was rising in Belize City in some neighbourhoods. Castle Street, which is near Cinderella Plaza, was under water from Friday night. Not even rubber boots could keep this woman’s feet from getting wet. She had to wade through water above her knees to get out of her yard.  According to one Castle Street resident, it wasn’t Alex but poor drainage that has residents knee deep in water.

Ray Matus, Castle St. Resident

“It’s not a street anymore; it’s a creek. Look at it. They should change the name from Castle Street to Castle Creek.”

Jose Sanchez

“The way the street is right now, is this something that you’ve seen before?”

Ray Matus

“Hey man, put it this way; I don’t want to get vulgar but if a dog goes out there and urinates, it gets flooded. That’s all I need to say.”

Jose Sanchez

“So it’s always flooded.”

Ray Matus

“Always! And they always talk about you know anti-aedes aegypti mosquitoes and Dengue Fever; and they go into people’s yard look for stagnant water. Come to Castle Street, even in the driest of days and my friend you will see stagnant water and you the prettiest of green colours growing in the drain.”

Jose Sanchez

“And the kids when they come out, how do they get out?”

Ray Matus

“Well, you’ve heard about London Bridges right? They have the Castle Bridges. They put a few sticks of planks from their yards to the street and that’s how they get across.”

Jose Sanchez

“When the rains go throughout the night, what’s the estimate number of inches you’ve seen so far?”

Ray Matus

“Well, if you have a vehicle, if you can actually show it over there; you will be able to see at least half way that the water can actually rise and that will be approximately about six inches.”

The rains subsided early in the night and the only remaining sign of Alex was the receding waters on city streets. Reporting for news five, Jose Sanchez.