Over the past weekend, the nation held its collective breath in anticipation of Hurricane Richard, the first to hit Belize for this 2010 season. Many residents did not appear overly concerned; perhaps because of two recent threats that did not come to pass. But by Saturday it was abundantly clear that Richard was heading directly […]
But the worst was yet to come. Twenty-four hours after the passage of Richard, the picture of the devastation began to emerge. The Category one hurricane slammed into Belize City with a vengeance. The hurricane force winds caused the collapse of wooden houses throughout the city. Trees tumbled atop some houses or fell across streets, […]
We’re joined on set by William Neal, also my co-host on Open Your Eyes. William did a fly-over earlier today of the affected areas in the central and southern regions of Belize. William Neal “You get an idea of the devastation in small shots when you are on the ground. But it gives you a […]
Hurricane Richard did not spare the Belize District. After winds measuring up to ninety-five miles per hour hit the coast, many hoped that it would subside after passing Belize City but the most powerful bands of the hurricane slammed parts of Hattieville, some fifteen miles on the Western Highway. The devastation covered the entire village; […]
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 […]
The next stop in our coverage is in the south. Damage to property was not as stark in Dangriga but residents bunkered down either at home or in shelters. The streets were desolate as the torrential rains poured down for more than six hours. But in Gales Point Manatee it was different story as the […]
We have told you about the drama and devastation caused by the category one hurricane. It’s substantive but to get a measure of what really went down, News Five headed to Belmopan for a press conference at the NEMO headquarters. Seated at the head table were the NEMO Minister Melvin Hulse, Coordinator Noreen Fairweather, Chief […]
According to NEMO Coordinator, Noreen Fairweather, the preliminary assessment got underway with aerial reconnaissance and terrestrial teams in affected areas. The preliminary figures are at thirty-three point eight million dollars. That figure is on the low side but Fairweather says it does not take into account the tourism industry or the impact due to the […]
Everyone agrees that Richard was quite a storm. Although the mood at NEMO headquarters was celebratory because it could have been far worse, Minister of NEMO Melvin Hulse was surprisingly quite stern. Hulse spoke of the coordinated effort and the fact that lives could have been lost because many people did not heed the […]
Most of the country still remains without power. Cities, towns and villages across the country lost power shortly after five on Sunday evening as Hurricane Richard made landfall near central Belize. It’s now twenty-four hours later and electricity is yet to be restored in areas in the central, western and southern districts. And according to […]
In times of hurricanes, we have come to rely on the Belize Red Cross. Earlier today we found the organization in full disaster management mode. Over a hundred teams have been deployed to assist families affected by the storm. With membership on the NEMO Executive team, the Red Cross is represented at both national and […]
And while Richard left our shores, it is going to take a while before the lives of those affected will return to normalcy. To help the many thousands in Belize City, the City Emergency Management Organization, CEMO, is making first assessments and disbursements, but is also relying on NEMO. Chairperson of CEMO, Mayor Zenaida Moya […]
Well by now you’d know that Richard caused substantive damage around the country and that life came to a standstill in most areas as most citizens headed to shelters or secured themselves at home. It means that sporting events were off limits and so this Monday’s Sports report from James Adderley is being deferred for […]
