Southern Belize braces for tropical depression #16

Southern Belize is bracing for heavy rains from an erratic weather pattern meandering on the northern tip of Honduras. While Tropical Depression number sixteen has already crossed over land, it has regained speed and up to three o’clock this afternoon forecasters were trying to determine its future movements over the next twenty-four hours. Southern Belize was hit by Tropical Storm Arthur earlier this year so residents In Hope Creek Village, Stann Creek are taking no chances. The main reason is that the North Stann Creek River, which spans from the valley community downwards, appeared to be at normal levels this afternoon. But based on past experiences with Arthur, most of the villagers were packing up and preparing for the worst.

Raylene Young, Resident, Hope Creek
“I have five small children and they gone through it already and I noh want dehn goh through it again. So hopefully—we really noh come bad again because I believe ih wah be worse dan di first time. Dat dah weh I believe. I noh know, I just have to believe dat ih wah be worse. From last night I di tell mi ma mek wi move out but she seh we wah wait, mek wi give it some time.”

Omejia Tejida, Student, Hope Creek
“They told us that they won’t be having classes. They ask us to help put up the equipments, put it at higher place so that if water rises they won’t go.”

Marion Ali
“I see you live right next to the river, right adjacent to it. you guys done mek preparations inside?”

Omejia Tejida
“Yes ma’am. If the water raise or anything, we already made preparations so we can go, yes ma’am. We will go at the ITVET, upstairs. That’s the closest place.”

Marion Ali
“So di family deh inside di pack up right now?”

Omejia Tejida
“Yeah, my ma di cook doh. Right now she di cook so we already pack, we pack some things.”

Joseph Linares, Resident, Hope Creek
“I have my house fi watch, I got things fi loss. Den deh dah di time when thief come round soh I noh gwein nowhere.”

Marion Ali
“But the last time you spent Arthur here right?”

Joseph Linares
“Yes, I spend Arthur rough cause I dah mi di first one gone inna Arthur and I left my family dah back because I come out fi help wah friend ah mine wid ih two kids and when I jump off ah my veranda di try help he, water just wash me away. So I noh think I gwein no way neither from yah.”

Marion Ali
“But you noh scared enough fi move out?”

Joseph Linares
“Well, no because I could handle myself with swimming. I could swim soh I wah stay right yah.”

Marcelo Williams, Instructor, IT VET, Hope Creek
“As a result of the flood associated with Tropical Storm Arthur that affected us on June one of this year, so what we’re doing right now we are not taking anything to chance and we decided that with the impending storm that is really threatening the coast of Honduras and parts of Guatemala, we are now trying to ensure that we are on top of things by securing our equipment, ensure that we update our trainees and the other members of staff. We’ve secured all the computers upstairs, photocopying equipment, the fax machine and a lot benches, chairs; everything coming from the kitchen with the exception of the refrigerator, the freezer and the stoves. But everything else is upstairs.”

Omejia Tejida
“The other morning when it was raining my mother wake up pee at six o’clock and by six-thirty, the river was already rising.”