Email

Print

How different? To show you we only need to go back to our newscast of exactly one year ago, October 25th., 2010. That's the night after Hurricane Richard hit. Monica Bodden and Jules Vasquez were out in the streets as the storm slammed into Belize City. Many of you didn't even see this story because our tower was mashed up like a paper clip by the storm, so for the sake of a valuable and timely look back we re-visit the terrible track of Richard.

At around 3 in the afternoon - with these flags above the courthouse getting a workout, Police guarded neighborhood supermarkets to avoid any pre storm antics - and police also guarded this gas station.

These shelterers were turned away from Grace Primary - while at St. John's Vianney these folks were loading up - and in the Yabra area - these folks were shuttering up.

The marine parade area was gusty - while the waters thick with sewage were vile and black with the outer bands upon Belize, the seawall near lover's point in the king's park area was getting turbulent. An hour later - the same area was piping heavy winds and the storm was driving across marine parade in sheets - a fog of pure force of the tide - as the storm's spume sprayed the area.

Back to the lover's point area - it had gone from wavy to wild - with deep bilious waves and biting winds

Jules Vasquez
"Here at St. Edward Street you can't see anything, the waters are turbid, we were here an hour ago, it's now 4 minutes to 4 we were here an hour ago and it was just a little rough but now its unmanageable. The rains are singing the winds are in excess of 40 miles an hour, its crazy out here and the eye has not arrived yet."

At the other end of that seafront street - the fury of the storm - was something to behold - waves crashed in explosive surges - and the street flowed like a river…

One Princess Margaret drive this nurse was running home through fallen fronds - and at 5:00 pm this phase two flag at the Belcan roundabout was in tatters and this billboard had already been blown away - while this one just toppled over. And down the street at Malic's poultry this sign was impaled on a sign post - while the main sing was adrift like a kite… Speaking of kites, the flag at the Taiwanese embassy was reduced to a rag. To show you how quickly conditions deteriorated, this was the area in front of the Fort Street tourism village at 5:00 pm and half an hour later - this was how it looked tents dragged into the street.

But these folks were undaunted - they wanted a walk on the wild side and wild it was with the storm surge now flailing over the marine parade seawall.

Down the street - the zinc sheeting at the MCC was curled up and the trees were battered and broken. At the rock park, the sea spray show was in effect and on St. Thomas Street this sign dangled helplessly. The homeless were also helpless - having to endure the storm - exposed to the elements - conditions so bad it was time for Monica Bodden to take over:

Monica Bodden
"We are at the height of the storm with 90-100 miles per hour wind. Belize City is being battered by Hurricane Richard."

At that point 5:40 pm - driving down most streets was no longer an option and on Baymen Avenue was impassible because of this massive tree toppling - the same a few blocks away on second street.

The signs were in the streets as the winds wailed down narrow streets - that one fallen this one about to and while we thought that was the height of it - it got significantly worse 40 minutes later - where even doing a standup became near impossible due to the force of wind and rain:

Monica Bodden
"Its 6:10 pm and the most accurate is that the eye of the storm is over Belize City but as you can see there is no calm."

And no calm and no shelter.

And about an hour and a half after that your waterlogged camera and light failed and we had to go in.

Again that story was from exactly a year ago, October 25, 2010. And now, we're looking out for Rina and earnestly hoping she doesn't come this way.

At 6:00pm the center of the storm was about 244 miles east of Belize. Hurricane Rina is heading west at 3 mph with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph. The latest advisory form NEMO says Coastal evacuation is being planned for 5:00 am tomorrow morning for Orange Walk and Corozal Districts. It is very likely that public transportation for Central and Northern Belize will be disrupted tomorrow to facilitate the possible evacuation of Belize City. NEMO will confirm this decision at 5:00 a.m. tomorrow morning. In regards to this planned evacuation NEMO urges everyone to listen to their radio and television throughout the night.

Those persons who are capable of leaving on their own are advised to voluntarily evacuate Belize City, rural areas in Orange Walk and Corozal Districts. Communities of concern are Belize City, Ladyville northwards to Sand Hill; Maskal; Bomba; Progresso; Copper Bank; Chunox up to Sarteneja. Evacuation of San Pedro and Caye Caulker resumes in the morning at 6:00am if sea conditions permit. Tomorrow school will be suspended for the entire Cayo, Orange Walk and Corozal Districts including Belize City. School staff and management must report to school to prepare their schools. Public Officers must be ready to report to their respective shelters. It is anticipated that Phase III-Red 2 will be declared at 6:00a.m. tomorrow morning.