Even Belmopan residents suffer the full force of the hurricane

Richard made landfall about twenty miles south southwest of Belize City. The hurricane winds extended up to fifteen miles from its centre. In the Capital, where the National Emergency Management Organization is headquartered, the full force of Richard was felt at around eight o’clock. The rains continued throughout the night but by the crack of dawn, the folks began to rebuild. News Five’s Delahnie Bain reports.

Delahnie Bain, Reporting

By six o’clock this morning, Belmopan residents were hard at work in a massive cleanup effort. In the aftermath of Hurricane Richard, the capital city was littered with debris; most of it were fallen branches. Several large trees were split in two while others were completely uprooted. The trees were the main attraction on the Garden City’s main streets but heading into the rural communities, we found residents picking up the pieces and repairing rooftops that had blown away. Yolanda Cabrera, however, lost much more than zinc roofing, her house collapsed during the storm.

Yolanda Cabrera, Lost House in Hurricane

“Last night the wind blew away the house, the sheets, clothes, everything. We don’t have anything.”

Delahnie Bain

“How many of you were in the house?”

yolanda cabrera

Yolanda Cabrera

“There are nine of us in the family. Nine and we don’t have a place to live, including small children and teenagers.”

Delahnie Bain

“How was it; were you all scared or…”

Yolanda Cabrera,

“Yes, we were very scared because the trees fell. We ran and the zinc was flying away from the roof. Right now we need help to repair the house because we have nowhere to go.”

Not far away from Cabrera’s home, another small house belonging Gloria Lemus, gave way in the heavy winds.

Gloria Lemus, Lost House in Hurricane

“When the hurricane came, it took the house and the zinc. The wind went with everything as you can see. I don’t have anything; everything is destroyed.”

Delahnie Bain

“How many people were inside the house?”

Gloria Lemus

“No one was in there. We had to leave.”

Delahnie Bain

“What are you going to do now? Where are you going to live?”

Gloria Lemus

gloria lemus

“That I don’t know. I went to NEMO to ask for help and I am hoping they can assist me.”

As it passed through, Richard huffed and puffed and blew trees and houses down, but the residents of Belmopan were spared the flooding that often accompanies a storm. Delahnie Bain for News Five.