On Wednesday, a group of tourists was involved in an accident on the Hummingbird Highway after the driver, Juan Esquivel, a forty-seven-year-old tour guide, lost control of the vehicle and ran off the road. The van was transporting a group of tourists, consisting of several teachers and students. They were transported to the Western Regional Hospital for observation and according to reports, at least one minor suffered a sprained ankle. However, no serious injuries were reported. As Hurricane Beryl approaches the region, Belize will continue to experience heavy rainfall and flooding. Considering this, the Belize Police Department advises the public to exercise caution when travelling on wet roads and avoid flooded areas. In an advisory from the department, motorists are cautioned to slow down during and after rainfall, avoid making sudden turns or lane changes, and be mindful of debris on the roadways.
Month: July 2024
Free Mangoes, Anyone?
It’s mango season in Belize and, unless you have your own tree to enjoy the succulent fruit at your heart’s content, you would have to purchase them from vendors. But there is one family on the George Price Highway that shares mangoes for free to anyone who wants. Crystal Bautista tells News Five that, in a world of violence, they just want to spread kindness and love. So, if you like mangoes and are passing near mile thirty-eight on the George Price highway and see the hand-written sign marked “Free Mangoes”, it is not a trick. Bautista says you’re welcome to take as many as you want.
Crystal Bautista, Resident, St. Matthew’s Village
“We have a lot of trees and All the mangoes are just falling off, so instead of letting it waste, we just give people it, just mek them have some.”
Marion Ali
“Okay, that’s very kind of you; people who have mango trees usually sell the mangoes.
Crystal Bautista
“Yes, ma’am, but we prefer give it away. We don’t want to sell it, just to put out the kindness out there. People stop and still ask if it’s free. If da true ih free. We tell them yes, it’s free. They could get how much they want.”
Marion Ali
“If yoh want two, you could get it. If you want wa bag full, you could get it?”
Crystal Bautista
“Yes, ma’am.”
Marion Ali
“And if people want to buy it, do you sell them?”
Crystal Bautista
“No, we don’t sell it. If they want to leave something, they leave it. If not, dehn could just ker it. Yes, ma’am.”
Marion Ali
“Very good. And this is every day?”
Crystal Bautista
“Yes, ma’am. Every day.”
Hurricane Beryl Barrels Towards Yucatan as a Fierce Category 2 Storm After Devastating Caribbean
Hurricane Beryl, a powerful Category 2 storm, is on course towards Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula after impacting the Cayman Islands. It recently devastated Jamaica as a Category 4 storm, resulting in fatalities and significant damage. The storm brought strong winds, dangerous storm surge, and power outages to Kingston. Beryl, with sustained winds of 110 mph, was moving west-northwest and expected to maintain hurricane strength as it approaches the Yucatan Peninsula, prompting warnings and watches along the coast.
BEL Addresses Customer Concerns Amid Hurricane Beryl
Amid concerns over the impact of Hurricane Beryl, the CEO of Belize Electricity Limited (BEL), John Mencias, reassured customers about the stability of the power supply. CEO Mencias addressed the potential effects of the hurricane on the supply from Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE) in Mexico to Belize.
“Based on the latest advisory, Hurricane Beryl remains a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph. It is expected to weaken before making landfall on the Yucatan Peninsula north of Belize within the next 12 hours,” Mencias stated. He explained that CFE’s transmission system, to which Belize’s grid is connected, should withstand the strong winds from a Category 3 hurricane. He added that past experiences with CFE have shown that their supply to Belize has remained stable during hurricanes. However, Mencias acknowledged that factors like lightning, flying debris, and mudslides could cause transmission system outages.
Mencias reassured customers that BEL currently has sufficient in-country capacity to meet peak demand if CFE is unable to supply power. He noted, “There is always the chance that things do not work out as planned. For example, excessive rains could affect the output from the bagasse-fueled power plants, BelCogen and Santander. But even if this happens, we should still have just sufficient generation capacity to get by.”
He expressed concern about the potential impacts of lightning and wind on BEL’s transmission and distribution system. Despite extensive preventative measures, including line clearing and securing critical equipment, some parts of the system remain vulnerable to extreme weather. “While we will do our best to maintain a reliable supply of power throughout the passage of the storm, we ask our customers to be patient as we work to keep the lights on during this time,” Mencias said.
His Majesty The King’s Address on Beryl’s Destruction Across the Caribbean
In response to the devastating impact of Hurricane Beryl across the Caribbean, King Charles expressed profound sadness and extended his heartfelt condolences to the victims. “My family and I have been profoundly saddened to learn of the dreadful destruction caused by Hurricane Beryl across the Caribbean. Above all, we send our heartfelt condolences to the friends and families of those who have so cruelly lost their lives,” said the King.
King Charles commended the resilience and solidarity shown by the Caribbean people in the face of such calamity. He highlighted the remarkable spirit of the region, which has been tested too often by natural disasters. “I have seen the extraordinary spirit of resilience and solidarity that people across the Caribbean have shown in response to such destruction – a spirit which has been called upon too often,” he noted.
The King also expressed his gratitude to the emergency services and volunteers who are actively supporting the rescue and recovery efforts. “I also send my particular gratitude to the emergency services and volunteers who are supporting the rescue and recovery efforts,” he added.
As Beryl advances, parts of Mexico will begin to feel its effects starting Thursday night before the hurricane makes landfall early Friday morning.
Hurricane warnings remain in effect for the Cayman Islands and parts of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, including Costa Maya, Tulum, Cozumel, and Cancún. Surrounding these areas, hurricane watches and tropical storm warnings have been issued for the northern Yucatan Peninsula, north of Cancún, and south of Costa Maya. Additionally, a tropical storm watch is in effect for northern Belize, extending as far south as Belize City.
Hurricane Beryl Speeds Past Caymans and Heads For Yucatan
Hurricane Beryl hammered the Cayman Islands this morning and is now headed towards Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. The storm is also expected to impact the western Gulf Coast, from Texas to Mexico, early next week. The Cayman Islands continue to experience strong impacts from the back half of Hurricane Beryl, including powerful winds, heavy rain, and damaging waves. As Beryl advances, parts of Mexico will begin to feel its effects starting Thursday night before the hurricane makes landfall early Friday morning.
Hurricane warnings remain in effect for the Cayman Islands and parts of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, including Costa Maya, Tulum, Cozumel, and Cancún. Surrounding these areas, hurricane watches and tropical storm warnings have been issued for the northern Yucatan Peninsula, north of Cancún, and south of Costa Maya. Additionally, a tropical storm watch is in effect for northern Belize, extending as far south as Belize City. Residents in the Cayman Islands are advised to remain in safe shelter until the hurricane passes, while those in the Yucatan Peninsula should rush their preparations to completion.
Prime Minister Briceño Urges Northern District to Be Prepared
Prime Minister John Briceño addressed the nation in a video statement, as several parts of the country remain under a tropical storm watch. P.M. Briceño returned to the country today from an official visit to Panama. In his address, the head of government expressed solidarity with the CARICOM nations that have been devastated by Hurricane Beryl. He also emphasized the need for those living within the tropical storm watch area, especially in flood prone areas, to make all the necessary preparations. As of tonight, the eye of the hurricane is forecasted to pass north of Belize in the Yucatan Peninsula. And if it stays on today’s projected path, residents in northern Belize will experience potentially damaging wind gusts. Here is a portion of the Prime Minister’s address to the nation.
Prime Minister John Briceño
“My fellow Belizeans, I begin by expressing our solidarity with our CAIRCOM brothers and sisters in Barbados, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines who were or are being hit by ferocious Hurricane Beryl. We understand the challenges they are facing and Belize will do its part to aid in the recovery efforts in our sister Caribbean nations. At present, Hurricane Beryl, the first hurricane in this month-old hurricane season is currently weakening considerably. It is forecasted to make landfall on the Yucatan Peninsula late Thursday night or early Friday morning as a category one hurricane. This means it will have sustained winds between seventy-four and ninety-five miles per hour when it makes landfall. Although the eye of the storm is not expected to pass over Belize, this is such a big storm that damaging effects could possibly be felt from Belize city to northern district of Corozal and Orange Walk, as well as Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker. Residents, especially in the north, should brace for strong winds gusting to tropical storm strength and heavy rainfall due to the hurricane’s proximity to the northern part of our country. As of now, from Belize City to Corozal are under a tropical storm watch which will later become a tropical storm warning. Residents in the north should prepare for flooding, especially those in flood prone, low-lying areas. Strong winds may cause some structural damage to homes and may also cause some losses to the agricultural sector. Since we face some damaging impacts from this storm, it is crucial for everyone to be prepared. Please look after your family and friends by ensuring that all necessary precautions are taken for the safety of your loved ones.”
The Latest on Hurricane Beryl
This afternoon, Hurricane Beryl made landfall in Jamaica as a category four hurricane. Later in our newscast, we will hear from one Belizean student studying on the island nation. But, as Hurricane Beryl continues to move down a west, northwest projected path, it is expected to weaken as it encounters some windshear. According to Chief Meteorologist Ronald Gordon, the tropical system is forecasted to weaken as a result, before it makes landfall in the Yucatan Peninsula.
Ronald Gordon, Chief Meteorologist, NMS
“As of three local time this afternoon Beryl was centered near latitude seven point five degrees north, seventy-seven point six degrees west. That puts the hurricane about just over seven hundred miles east of Belize City. Beryl is moving to the west northwest at twenty miles per hour with maximum sustained winds of a hundred miles per hour. The track is for Beryl to continue a west, north westerly track for the remainder of today and take a turn more towards the west later tonight or tomorrow Thursday. That forecast track barely is expected to move south of the Cayman Islands tomorrow, still as a major hurricane and weaken slightly as it moved more to the norther western Caribbean Sea and eventually making landfall on the Yucatan Peninsula as either a strong category one or weal category two hurricane. Not much has changed since this morning in terms of the track forecast it remains still relatively the same place as it was. We remain under a tropical storm watch from Belize City northward to the border with Mexico including the island of San Pedro, Caye Caulker. And again, reminding residents in those areas that a tropical storm watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area, in this case within the next thirty-six hours or so. The radius of tropical storm force winds, since that is what we are looking at here, extends on the southern semi-circle of the storm to about eight miles. And if you look at the map between the projected area of land fall and the border that is a little bit over a hundred miles. Therefore, we are looking at the possibility, there is a small chance that the extreme most northern areas under watch will experience tropical storm force winds if the system takes the most probable path and moves to the center of the cone. There is always that small chance that it moves to the south of the cone which would necessitate upgrading the watch to a warning or a hurricane warning. That is a small chance and we keep monitoring for that reason. We look at any slight jag to the west, any shift in terms of the track and we make that determination.”
Wet and Windy Friday Ahead for Tropical Storm Watch Areas
So, what possible impacts will Belize City experience if Hurricane Beryl continues down the current projected path and makes landfall as a category two hurricane in the Yucatan Peninsula? According to Gordon, it will likely result in a rainy and windy day for the Old Capital, with wind speeds of up to twenty-five miles per hour. He further noted that the current tropical storm watch will likely be upgraded to a warning if the system shifts slightly southward.
Ronald Gordon, Chief Meteorologist, NMS
“We do have the watch in place to alert residents in these particular areas that there is the possibility they may experience tropical storm conditions, late Thursday into Friday morning. Apart from the winds in a tropical storm which is between thirty-nine miles for hour and seventy-three miles for hour. There are other hazards associated with the system which includes heavy rainfall, and the rainfall projections are not at four to six inches as the system crosses with locally higher values. We are aware of the situation in terms of the saturated soils. With the relatively strong and gusty winds we expect sea conditions to be rough. We expect some swells to be generated by the system and create large battering waves that will affect certain areas of the coast as well.”
Paul Lopez
“If the storm continues down the projected path and it maintains the level of strength that is forecasted at landfall one or two, what can we expect for the Orange Walk District and the Belize District, Belize City in particular?
Ronald Gordon
“As I have always said, precision and details will increase with time. We are still thirty-six hours out. To be honest with you we know that the forecast will never be precise. It will never be precise to the level that people would want. But, just to give you some ideas. We do know that the extreme north of the country will be the area that will be most impacted by the winds. Those will decrease rapidly as we move from that area. In Belize City based on what we are seeing currently, we are looking at a windy gusty day, winds of up to fifteen to twenty-five knots late Thursday, Friday, due to the system. Orange Walk about twenty to thirty knots and further north a bit higher.”
Flood Warning Issued for Tropical Storm Watch Areas
The National Hydrological Service is monitoring the heavy rainfall that Hurricane Beryl is forecasted to bring across the country. An urbanized flood warning has been issued for residents living within the tropical storm watch area. Principal Hydrologist, Tenielle Hendy says residents in the north will continue to experience flooding.
Tenielle Hendy, Principal Hydrologist, NHS
“Just to update on the existing or current flood forecast. We do have an urbanized flood warning in effect from Belize City to Corozal districts and there is also a flood alert in the south for the Moho and Temash Rivers as those water levels have been increasing rapidly since our forecast this morning. The flood outlook in regard to the update given by Chief Met. We expect that those areas in the north still suffering from flooding conditions, we expect that to continue and for those who have expect a compounding effect given the very conservative six inches of rainfall that is expected. When the soil is at normal, it has not been a drought period or intense wild fires impacting the area the soil is very loose. It allows water, any eliminate to pass through that medium. With the drought, it then compacts that soil and reduces that function of any element passing through it. So it stops the eco-system function.”