While News Five’s small staff of reporters and cameramen have been on the go now for the better part of a week, we could not have covered this story without the help of our colleagues around the country. We have just received additional footage from Centaur Television in Orange Walk and the following clips from […]
Today the Belize Red Cross met with representatives of the American Red Cross to brief them on what plans are in place to assist people who have been affected by hurricane Keith. The Belize Red Cross has made an assessment and have decided to bring immediate assistance to those villages in the western and northern […]
While offers of disaster assistance continue to come in from abroad, the more immediate help for communities stricken by Keith is being generated locally. The University of Belize has established a relief drive and is asking all students, faculty and staff to deliver food and clothing items to the Dean’s office at the respective campuses. […]
During this and every other recent hurricane season we take their expertise for granted, but in the aftermath of a major storm we have to give special thanks to the dedicated professionals at the Meteorological Office. For those viewers who were a little too agitated to clearly recall Keith’s chronology, we called on Chief Meteorologist […]
For those viewers who simply can’t get enough of Keith we will replay the weather report from Friday night’s newscast. Although the report airs approximately 6:45 it is recorded by the Met Office several hours earlier at the studios of Bel Caribe Communications. For many Belizeans this was the first and last word on Keith […]
Our crew has just returned from Crooked Tree and Jose Sanchez reports that the causeway is covered by over five feet of water. As a result Crooked Tree may as well be a Caye, although the water surrounding the village is fresh, not salty. After taking a boat to the village, we spoke to a […]
It may not officially be classified as part of the damage caused by hurricane Keith, but three people are dead tonight after a bus ran off the road and plunged into the rain-swollen waters of a creek in the Orange Walk District. Details are sketchy, but it is believed that the Venus bus was headed […]
The National Emergency Management Organisation has released a preliminary estimate of damages from hurricane Keith and the figure they have come up with is 200 million U.S. dollars. That breaks down to 45 million in crop damage, 100 million in property damage and 55 million in damage to basic infrastructure such as roads, streets, drains […]
The story of hurricane Keith can be told in broad strokes: the quantity of buildings destroyed, the dollar value of the damage and number of people homeless. But the real story of the storm lies in the hundreds of personal dramas which played out in the lives of ordinary citizens. Today News Five visited a […]
As our team was leaving from the area, they came upon another house that didn’t quite look right. Upon closer inspection, they realised that what appears to be a wooden bungalow was only a few days ago a fully raised upstairs house. All that remains of that upper storey are two concrete staircases.
Nazarene High School was not used as a shelter, but it still sustained plenty of damage from Keith’s torrential rains. News Five spoke to the school’s principal who is hoping to have the school dry and ready for class next week. Samuel Sukhnandan, Principal, Nazarene High School “Here at Nazarene we estimate the loss of […]
On yesterday’s newscast Jose Sanchez reported on the damage sustained by residents of Caye Caulker. Today cameraman Brent Toombs and I journeyed to San Pedro to see how people there were faring in their efforts to rebuild the storm shattered island. At this time it is difficult to say just how many people on San […]
In October 1998 when the hurricane known as Mitch pulled up short of Belize and unleashed its category five wrath elsewhere, Belizeans let out a collective sigh of relief, safe in the knowledge that we had dodged a heavy calibre bullet. Two years later Mitch’s younger cousin named Keith finally did what Mitch could not…and […]
While the storm raged outside, residents of Belize City and other communities took shelter as best they could. Those with sturdy houses rode out the wind and rain at home. Others headed west, but those who could not sought out government designated shelters. In many cases, due to the suddenness of the hurricane’s approach, the […]
When Keith finally moved off to Mexico, residents of Belize City emerged to survey the damage…and what they found wasn’t pretty. See if you recognize your neighbourhood among the following scenes. (Montage of uprooted trees, flooded areas and collapsed fences)
Every disaster produces its share of heroes…and Keith is no exception. During the drama of the last few days there is no doubt that dozens of Belizeans performed extraordinary acts of courage or generosity. We cannot attempt to catalogue them all, but we can single out one of our own for special recognition. Proving that […]
Another organisation with no shortage of heroes is Belize Electricity Limited. BEL crews worked throughout the storm and will still be repairing damage at least for the next several weeks. We caught up with BEL’s chief executive Lynn Young as he prepared to fly to San Pedro. Lynn Young, Chief Executive Officer, BEL “I think […]
Lynn Young was not the only concerned mainlander flying out to the cayes. Prime Minister Said Musa boarded a British Forces helicopter in Belmopan and before heading north, made a brief inspection of Belize City. News Five’s Stewart Krohn caught up with him as he touched down at the municipal airstrip. Stewart Krohn “Prime Minister, […]
Getting out to the most devastated areas on the cayes was no easy feat, but News Five’s Jose Sanchez and cameraman Brent Toombs managed to hop on a boat. Jose has just returned with the videotape and put together the following clips. Marla Burgess, Hurricane Victim “Everything. I just bought a new freezer, TV, I […]
While the destruction of Caye Caulker was substantial, the community, which bore the brunt of Keith’s 125 mile per hour winds and water, was San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. Twice the eye passed over the town and like Caye Caulker the storm’s heaviest blows came from the west, hitting hardest not the fancy hotels on the […]
For those who tune in tonight with just a bit of anxiety caused by this evening’s dark clouds and ominous rain, we’ll get it out of the way quickly. Yes, there is a tropical storm near Belize. Its name is Keith. Yes, it is expected to eventually grow into a hurricane…but no, it is not […]
Just a few months ago Belize was the setting for the movie “After the Storm.” The same title could also be used to describe much of Belize City this morning. High winds and torrential rains lashed the coast causing some unusual damage. One sign at the Texaco gas station on North Front Street was partially […]
While the weekend promised to be filled with festivities, a fire Saturday night on George Street put a damper on one family’s celebration. The upstairs house was rented by Gilberto Rivas and his family of four, while the lower flat was occupied by the aunt of Karl Wade, the owner of the house. Neighbors saw […]
Representatives of various disaster response teams are meeting for three days to discuss Post Disaster Stress Management. One topic of particular interest during the discussions is post disaster counseling. This area became a primary concern after the post Mitch evaluation that took place between countries that were affected by the hurricane in 1998. Joan Burke, […]
Hurricane Debby is threatening the Isle of St. Kitts and Nevis, which just happen to be where a twenty-nine member Belizean delegation is representing the country at CARIFESTA. This evening we spoke with Beverly Smith Lopez, who is braving the weather along with the contingent of artists and performers. Beverly Smith Lopez, Director, Arts Council, […]
