According to Mayor Bradley, the area of Southern Foreshore, particularly near the House of Culture, has been recognized as one of several locations in need of urgent rehabilitation. Darrell Bradley, Belize City Mayor “We also have identified the debris surrounding the House of Culture so that we are going in there cutting down as […]
The task of rebuilding is humongous in Belize City. Teams have been deployed to affected areas. This morning, we headed to Phase Three of the sprawling community of Belama where devastation can be seen everywhere. Many suffered damage to their roofs, in many cases, roofs and houses could not withstand the winds of eighty-miles per […]
Iconic Belize City landmark Bird’s Isle, long since a popular venue for sporting activities and entertainment, is tonight no more. The prominent location in the Yarborough community was brought to its knees during Hurricane Earl, before caving in on itself on Thursday morning. Built in the late sixties, Bird’s Isle became the venue of choice […]
With irreparable damage having been done to the original structure, are there any immediate plans to restore Bird’s Isle to its greatness? Isani Cayetano “Now on a long term basis; I know it’s probably still a bit too early to decide what will become of where the basketball court used to be. Are there […]
Earl wasn’t just a storm which brought high waters, tore off roofs, damaged homes and panicked a nation. It also devastated our agriculture industry which has already been facing real challenges. But now it’s much worse. At the press conference held on Thursday, Agriculture C.E.O. Jose Alpuche explained that what he presented was a preliminary […]
And while the crushing impact on our banana industry is bad enough, it gets much worse. Jose Alpuche, C.E.O., Ministry of Agriculture “Corn has been severely impacted, especially in the central region; Spanish Lookout alone reporting losses of seventy-five thousand tons, or approximately forty-two million Belize dollars in losses. In Indian Creek losses for […]
So with all that said, the government will step in, right? Belizeans remember in late 2015 when a tropical depression flooded the south side and brought U.D.P. politicians with relief galore, including new appliances and money. We’re talking millions in disaster relief. But there’s a difference now. For one, there’s no major election in a […]
Was the City Council prompt in addressing the issue of debris and sludge when NEMO announced an all-clear on Thursday morning? Some would argue that the response wasn’t fast enough. According to Mayor Bradley, his team sprung into action immediately after they were given the nod to commence remedial works. He says that while work […]
Like in agriculture, there was good and bad news in tourism. The good news is that all tourists in the country prior to the storm were placed in safe accommodations and are accounted for. But then there’s that really bad news. Karen Bevans, Director of Tourism “In looking at the preliminary assessment and our biggest […]
The Belize City Council has embarked on a massive cleanup campaign of the Old capital. Agencies such as the Red Cross are joining in the effort, giving a helping hand to persons still at shelters. Food and water are at the top of list. News Five’s Duane Moody reports. Duane Moody, Reporting In the […]
In the prime tourist destination, San Pedro, the popular Costa Maya festival has been cancelled. The influx of persons expected to attend has dropped dramatically so the festival has had to be called off. Within the island, residents are picking up the pieces where possible. A number of small and fragile establishments were battered and […]
The entire country of Belize is still recovering from the effects of Hurricane Earl. The damage country wide is minor for some and major for others. But there are few lingering threats that are to come post Earl that we all need to keep in mind. Those are the health hazards that come post storm. […]
Hurricane Earl drenched Belize on Wednesday night packing ferocious winds of up to eighty miles per hour. The hurricane made landfall after midnight near Belize City and moved westward. The city and the rest of the Belize District felt the full brunt of the storm which caused water levels to rise significantly. Residents experienced water […]
Today, the Belize City Council mobilized immediately after the hurricane and began cleanup efforts in the Old Capital. Debris, trees, zinc from roofs and other objects are littering the streets. Mayor Darrell Bradley says that with help from the B.D.F., the city will return to normalcy. Darrell Bradley, Belize City Mayor “If you could […]
City folks began bracing up for the storm since Wednesday morning. Visitors evacuated the islands. Hundreds moved to shelters in both the north and south sides of the city. More than a thousand persons left their homes for safer ground. But many others chose to remain where they were, putting their lives at risk when […]
The weather system also caused three barges to run aground near the Belize City harbor. This morning, the B.S.I. vessel collided near the Baron Bliss Lighthouse and remained there until just before midday when the Swing Bridge was swung to allow for a tugboat to pull the barge away. CEMO Coordinator Phillip Willoughby told News […]
Also hard hit were communities north of Belize City, including Vista Del Mar and Ladyville. Who would have believed that a category one storm, and barely that, could have wreaked such havoc – winds with the intensity to tear off roofs and bring down homes, and surges of five feet plus in certain areas? By […]
The Belize River Valley also experienced the downpour of the hurricane and residents are not bracing for impending floods. Like in other communities in the path of Earl, damages were sustained to houses and livestock and there is the potential for further losses as the days go by. News Five’s Isani Cayetano reports. Isani […]
Today, Prime Minister Dean Barrow called a press conference to update the public on all things Earl – from the damage caused in various sectors to the appeal for relief. He started, quite rightly, by paying tribute to stakeholders who played a vital role before and during the storm, particularly the Police Department, B.D.F. and […]
Prime Minister Dean Barrow explained that while Area Representatives across the political board will be used for input, no money will be given to them to disburse. All beneficiaries will be handled through NEMO. In addition and parallel to that short-term assistance, GOB will be looking at aid from the international community. Prime Minister […]
Barnett explained the process and plan which will be immediately implemented to ensure that Belize has the ability to access aid relief from our international partners. Carla Barnett, Senator “What we will be setting out to do is to ensure that the relief part of what needs to be done, which is the immediate […]
Even as Belizeans work to recover from the impact of a storm which was much stronger than expected, there is more bad news to contemplate. There’s water heading our way – a lot of it, and it’s going to result in massive flooding in the Belize River Valley and Belize City, already reeling from the […]
Earlier today, our News Five team spoke to NEMO Coordinator Clare Moody at NEMO’s Headquarters in Belmopan. Although the storm has shifted its trajectory north, NEMO continues in a state of preparedness. Moody outlines what has been put in place to weather Hurricane Earl. Clare Moody, NEMO Coordinator “We prepare from season to season. […]
Tropical Storm Earl was upgraded to a category one hurricane this afternoon at three o’clock having reached maximum winds at seventy-five miles per hour. It is forecasted that the first hurricane to head for Belize in this season, will strengthen to eighty miles per hour and landfall is expected later tonight in the area of […]
The latest NEMO advisory was received at six o’clock. It states the following. Hurricane Earl is centered near Latitude seventeen point one north Longitude, eighty six point zero, west or about one hundred and three miles east-southeast of Half Moon Caye, one hundred and forty-one miles east-southeast of San Pedro Ambergris Caye, one hundred and […]
