An unusual operation is taking place along the Burrell Boom Road where a massive amount of floodwater is being pumped from one property and funneled through a nearby culvert which empties into Ridge Lagoon Estates. Residents of that community were taken aback when they observed that Teichroeb and Sons Limited had built a retaining wall […]
Back in January of this year, we reported on the retirement of Doctor Kenrick Leslie from the Caribbean Community Climate Change Center. Doctor Leslie has been serving as the executive director at the regional entity since 2004 until he retired at the start of this year. This Wednesday, Leslie will be honored with a virtual […]
Doctor Young also spoke about the impact of climate change on the region, zoning in on Belize. He says the annual cost of climate change related events such as droughts and floods is equivalent to seven percent of the country’s GDP. It’s a significant number that Doctor Young says is a challenge for any country […]
During his interview with the media today, Executive Director, Doctor Colin Young of the CARICOM Climate Change Center also shared that the center has a number of adaptation and mitigation projects running across CARICOM member states. One of the projects being explored in Belize is the use of a wild grass called the Arundo Donax […]
It’s going to be a wet weekend – that’s the news coming out of the national met service. The forecast is for a weekend with mostly rain and some thunderstorms. Forecaster on duty Francisca Wellington says that we may the rains slow down a bit Sunday but don’t go making any outdoor plans because it’s […]
The National Emergency Management Organization is advising the public to be on the lookout for the possibility of flooding in some areas in the country. While the remnants of Hurricane Iota continue to move away, the system is expected to bring some rainfall for the country that may see flooding in low lying communities, as […]
Principal Hydrologist Tennielle Hendy says that they have received reports that water is already high in some areas. For now, the Iguana Creek Bridge in Spanish Lookout is closed – as well as the low-lying bridge in the twin towns of Santa Elena and San Ignacio. Hendy says that while the north wasn’t impacted in […]
And on the topic of rising waters – residents in the community of Monkey River are reporting that they are experiencing an elevation in the water levels. Today, we asked Hendy about the situation in that southern coastal village. Here’s what she had to say. On the Phone: Tennielle Williams-Hendy, Principal Hydrologist “We have […]
And to find out more about the overall weather conditions, we got an update from Chief Meteorological Officer Ronald Gordon. He says that while the system associated with Hurricane Iota continues to drift away, the next few days will be wet as the country experiences some rains. On the Phone: Ronald Gordon, Chief Meteorological […]
Nine families in Burrell Boom are flooded out as a portion of the main road in the village is submerged. Shelters in the Belize River Valley area remain open, as Iota is expected to dump more water on central and southern Belize. Today, aside from relief and supplies being issued by the National Emergency Management […]
Minister of the Blue Economy and Civil Aviation Andre Perez says that the recently enacted gill net ban will have to be revisited. Earlier this morning, a statutory Instrument signed into law the ban of gill nets from maritime waters. The area covered by the ban includes all the sea under the jurisdiction of Belize. […]
Nicaragua is for a second time in less than three weeks is bracing for another massive hurricane. Iota, a category five storm, the strongest Atlantic weather system to form in November, is expected to bring devastation to Central America when it makes landfall tonight. While relief organizations are stretched thin in the wake of Hurricane […]
The Belize Zoo bid farewell to one of its beloved resident animals on Sunday. Carlos, one of the three pumas at the zoo, fell ill and died. He was rescued as a cub when his human family could no longer care for him. He was a popular attraction at the zoo, loved by visitors and […]
As the flood waters recede in the Cayo, communities in Belize River Valley are experiencing flooding. Opposition Leader John Briceño says that the flooding can be a reason why voter turnout could possibly be lower compared to the last general elections in November 2015. John Briceño, Leader, P.U.P. “Moving on to the issue of […]
In the days leading up to the elections, land grabs are being reported everywhere. Benque Viejo resident Miguel Balona says that his niece’s private property was taken away from her and given to another owner by the Lands Department. Balona says that he found out while he was carrying out maintenance on the land. He […]
Turning to the floods, water levels are now rising in the area of Crooked Tree in the Belize District and by noon today, the village looked like an island with water all around. The Crooked Tree Lagoon is overflowing so the water is seeping into homes. Sections of the causeway have washed away and it […]
On Monday night we showed you the plight of the Valley of Peace farmers – where thousands of plants were flatted by flood waters. The flood also affected a resident who lives near the farmlands and he lost all his belongings. Steven Vansickel has been living in the area for about five years and on […]
Chief Elections Officer Josephine Tamai announced earlier today that voters in Polling Area Eighty-five which includes Calla Creek, will cast their ballots at Iglesias de Dios Seventh Day Adventist Church since the initial polling station at Holy Cross R.C. School has been reassigned due to the recent flooding. According to Tamai, it is the only […]
Last week Friday, the Government announced a ban on gillnets. It’s a historic and major accomplishment for the conservation community and those whose livelihoods are impacted by gillnetting. With the signing of the Statutory Instrument, it is now illegal to possess and use gillnets in Belize’s waters. This announcement follows years of consultations and petitioning. […]
So, what happens now to the gillnetters who are surrendering their gears? The Coalition for Sustainable Fisheries says that they have been working with the eighty-three licensed gill net fishers for over a year to help them transition to more sustainable forms of fishing or to seek alternative livelihoods. A part of the ban is […]
Belize has taken a major step to strengthen marine conservation and is among a handful of countries that is putting an end to gillnet fishing in its territorial waters. After years of work by the N.G.O. community, including OCENA, the use of gillnets is now illegal. Late this evening, government announced that it had passed […]
As we head into the weekend we will tell about what to expect in weather conditions. The National Hydrological Service has been monitoring the rise in water levels in the Macal and Mopan rivers, as well as the Belize River and other tributaries. Those waterways are becoming swollen and flooding is expected within the next […]
Now a tropical depression, Eta is predicted to gain strength to become a tropical storm as it heads toward Cuba and Florida in the next few days. It has left behind at least thirteen deaths due to floods and landslides as the storm barrelled Nicaragua, Guatemala and Honduras. In Belize, heavy rains and flooding continue here, especially […]
There is water everywhere. The level of the Mopan River has also risen significantly; in fact, as much as eight feet above the normal level that villagers in San Jose Succotz are used to. The National Emergency Management Organization has advised that communities along the Mopan are notified that they must be on high alert […]
Also in the west, NEMO rescued two men who were being swept away by the gushing waters of the Mopan River near San Jose Succotz. It is known confirmed what they were doing in the river, some say they were fishing but there is word that they were repairing the cable line. The duo is […]
