Recovery from the big flood of 08 continues in Cayo, the Belize River
Valley, and parts of the Orange Walk District. And new figures released from
the National Emergency Management Organization show that the recovery will be
lengthy and costly. More than sixteen thousand persons from one-hundred and
thirteen villages were affected. 9,200 of them have received two weeks of food
supplies while two- hundred and sixteen remain in shelters. Eight thousand,
two-hundred persons have received medical attention for flood related illnesses.
That has so far cost $1 million.
And while that’s the human toll, the flood wiped out one thousand
head of cattle, pigs, sheep, and poultry amounting to a million dollars. Forty-six
miles of road were damaged and it’s going to cost 10 million dollars to
fix them. Eight thousand six hundred acres of crop valued at twelve point nine
million dollars were also wiped out.
Minister of NEMO Melvin Hulse discussed the response at today’s
House meeting.
Hon. Melvin Hulse, Minister of NEMO
“They have no home to go back to. We are talking about 1,110 homes
went under water. Some of these homes are still under water. Whatever is in
those homes will never be of any value to them people and I need to reiterate
here Mr. Speaker that we need to grasp the enormity of it because no hurricane
has ever in our living memory, because I was around for Hattie also, has impacted
on the lives and the homes of so many people. We’re telling you, we’re
informing this nation and this Honourable House that 1,110 homes went under
water, suffered serious water damages. And what we are doing right now Mr. Speaker,
before I continue with the rest of the information, what we have done and are
doing, we have a team that has gone to every single village in the Cayo District,
went to every household under water, we have photographed every single household,
we have spoken to the members, we have gotten their names, we have itemized
every single item that has been lost in their homes, we have identified whatever
physical structure damage has been done to their homes, and each and every one
of them as I will say categorically here will be assisted, those who got hurt
in the disaster.”
We note that the entire village of Douglas in the Orange Walk District
is still quarantined while the Crooked Tree Causeway is still underwater.
Email
Print