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And while that is the human toll, the financial is another story. There is an initial estimate and we got it from Prime Minister Dean Barrow this morning.

Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
“$22.5 million broken down as follows: $1.3 million household losses, $1.3 million in housing infrastructure losses, $10.4 million in road infrastructure and $9.5 million in agriculture. This is just for the eastern Cayo District and for the areas in the Belize District and the Orange Walk District.”

Keith Swift,
When does the recovery work begin?

Hon. Dean Barrow,
“Immediately. In Belama they’ve already dug additional canals, they are constructing a line channel in a particular area, they are putting in culverts, all in an effort to ensure that the drainage in Belama can operate so as to have the waters run off as quickly as possible. In terms of things like housing, with respect to repairs, with respect to the replacement of household items, that’s going to have to wait until the waters have fully receded. It makes no sense to try to do that at this point in time. Similarly with agriculture, except that we can begin to give some of the farmers cash transfers that will assist them in terms of simply being able to eek out a living between now and when the concentrated crop rehabilitation efforts begin.”

Keith Swift,
Have the social partners as yet given the government permission to use some of the Venezuelan money for housing repairs?

Hon. Dean Barrow,
“I need to check with the Deputy Prime Minister who is chair of the committee. He was to have gotten in touch with them after Cabinet on Tuesday. I haven’t had a chance to speak with him but I don’t imagine it is a problem and basically it is just a matter of respecting them and consulting but government ultimately can make the decision and I think government in the circumstances will be forced to make the decision.”

The report notes that 6,035 people have received a week’s supply of food and water. As Barrow mentioned a large part of the damage was to the country’s infrastructure, the roads and we’ll give you an update on the flooding on the Northern and Western Highways later on.