The National Met Service reports that Middle Caye bore the brunt of the rain from Tropical Storm Sara. This small coral island, one of four along Glover’s Reef in the Stann Creek District, was drenched with a staggering seventeen inches of rainfall. A forecaster told News Five today that Middle Caye received the lion’s share of the storm’s downpour.
Via phone: Francisca Wellington
Via phone: Francisca Wellington, Weather Forecaster
“San Ignacio for the Friday to Sunday, they recorded over three inches of rainfall. That goes for Santa Elena and Bullet Tree and then for Benque it’s over four inches. We have another station up in the Cayo District. It’s called Black Rock. It’s near the river and that recorded over four point five inches. In Belmopan there were six inches of rainfall from Friday to Sunday. We had over ten inches from Friday to Sunday and then out in the cayes. Middle Caye recorded over seventeen inches between Friday and Sunday. Remember now, the rain is not only occurring in the country of Belize. It was also occurring over in Guatemala and some of our rivers, especially the Macal River, Mopan River, this area. These rivers come from those areas as well over Guatemala. So all of that rainfall is coming down through our rivers.”
While most of the rain fell over Middle Caye, Hydrologist Tenielle Hendy explained today that the mountains to the south and west of Belize received the bulk of the rainfall. This is causing significant flooding out west. So, even though Middle Caye got a whopping seventeen inches of rain, it’s the Cayo District, which only received about four inches, that’s dealing with severe flooding.
Tenielle Hendy
Tenielle Hendy, Hydrologist
“For the central areas of the country mainly, we’re seeing flood warning in effect for those rivers. The Mopan, Belize River, Sibun River, going into the south, we’re now seeing the City River, the Bladen and Swayze branches of the Monkey River, and all those emanating off the eastern slopes of the Maya Mountains. We’re still seeing flooding and flood warning for those areas. What we do have still is the landslide threat. The landslide threat is positive for the next twenty-four hours, and it’s showing mainly in that Hummingbird Highway, Southern Highway into the south back west, towards the border with Guatemala is showing a positive indication for landslide threats. We have focused on the San Ignacio region, and like I said, it’s nine point six meters, so between twenty-seven, thirty, thirty-one feet of water we’re seeing there. The same we’re seeing now in the Mopan, where more between twelve to fifteen feet of water at the highest recorded extreme. For Crooked Tree, it’s increasing, but it’s not that it’s going to cover the causeway. We at this point, we do have reports of certain parts of the village being flooded at this time, but so far, based on the data that we’ve collected, San Ignacio has received the highest flood levels that we have seen with the passage of Tropical Storm Sara.”
In Roaring Creek, the floodwaters from Tropical Storm Sara over the weekend are making their way from western Belize through the rivers and tributaries towards the Caribbean Sea. This means the Macal, Sibun, and Belize Rivers are among the main ones flooding right now. The water has already submerged the old bridge in Roaring Creek and is creeping under the newly elevated bridge, leaving several homes under several feet of water. Today, News Five caught up with two residents who were out surveying the scene. News Five’s Marion Ali reports.
Marion Ali, Reporting
Even though Roaring Creek is more centrally located, it has low-lying areas that are prone to flooding. Shenell Trapp was out in the flood with a canoe.
Shenell Trapp
Shenell Trapp, Roaring Creek Resident
“We’re having an experience of our life, you know, helping people and having fun fishing, touring.”
Delmarie Gordon says that so far, Sara has not affected her, unlike previous storms.
Delmarie Gordon
Delmarie Gordon, Resident, Roaring Creek
“Ih nuh too bad.”
Britney Gordon
So nothing went into your house this time?
Delmarie Gordon
“No.”
Britney Gordon
Can you tell me about the times when it was bad and water went into your house, what kind of damages did you see?
Delmarie Gordon
“Ih damage all the mattresses and the stove.”
Britney Gordon
But this time you said that you left the house on Thursday. Why is that?
Delmarie Gordon
“Because I mi gone stay da mi sista house cause mi niece mi gone out.”
Britney Gordon
“So just in case that it had gotten really bad, you decided not to stay there.”
Delmarie Gordon
“Yes.”
Britney Gordon
“And your brother is still there at this time, he’s taking care of the house?
Delmarie Gordon
“Mhmm.”
Shenell Trapp said whenever the village floods, they put aside their everyday activities to help those in need in the community.
Britney Gordon
“You tell me that every time there’s a flood, this canoe gets brought out; you guys help your neighbors. Can you talk to me about that?”
Shenell Trapp
“Yes, sometimes our neighbors stay in the house and then they call for rescue or to take food for them. So last night our neighbor over there wanted to come out around eight-thirty last night and we rescued him.”
In San Ignacio, the Macal River surged above the town’s market for the first time in nearly five years. Today, it started to recede, albeit slowly. By the afternoon, market vendors were busy cleaning up. However, just outside San Ignacio in Bullet Tree, the situation looks grim. The bridge has been closed for several days, and residents beyond the Bullet Tree Bridge are either in shelters or bracing for the worst. News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
Crossing a flooded bridge is no small feat, which is why the Bullet Tree Bridge has been closed to vehicles. However, for some residents living beyond the bridge, crossing on foot is a necessity. They’re either braving the risks to get basic supplies or, like these two gentlemen, to get to work. We spoke with one Bullet Tree resident who was watching the scene unfold.
Alfonso Tesecum
Alfonso Tesecum, Bullett Tree Resident
“Right now it is not so bad right now. But the last time we did not see the river running so fast. But, right now the river is getting higher. This morning when I pass here, this road, the bridge was getting up, but suddenly it start to come again more higher. I see some people try to walk across it but it is dangerous right now. No vehicle could pass it because it almost reach by the police station and that will be dangerous.”
We then made our way across the pedestrian path on the bridge to hear from the residents on the other side. A large portion of the bridge was underwater, but the pedestrian path was still above water. Once we crossed the bridge, we found ourselves wading through over two feet of rushing water. On the other side we spoke with Robert Perez, a resident of the area.
Robert Perez
Robert Perez, Resident, Camalote
“Last night it went down almost at the entrance of the bridge. But by this morning around seven o’clock it already by that sign that says road closed. But by this afternoon we see it is where it is, an it is rising even more higher. It is affecting me big time because we are tacos vendors. We are across the bridge and not able to do our sales as normal. Then also I have my child that I haven’t returned home, because I cant cross the bridge. It is affecting me and as you can see here a lot of houses are already under water. Well at least one foot underwater.”
We also met a resident who, along with her family, has taken refuge in a church. She shared that her home is now submerged, and the rising river is threatening their temporary shelter, which they’ve been in since the early hours of Saturday morning. They went without potable water all weekend, but thankfully, it was restored this morning.
Voice of: Raquel Lobos
Voice of: Raquel Lobos, Flood Victim
“My uncle is back there with my aunt, because my aunt is taking care of a little old lady. They cant come out, but the river is rising and surely it will enter our house.”
Paul Lopez
“What will they do?”
Voice of Raquel Lobos
“They are on that side, seeing what it can do, but we did not expect this. We thought it was going down. But, I don’t know. It is just rising up. It is coming up and it is tough. I am in a worries right now.”
Downtown San Ignacio saw the Macal River reach Hurricane Mitch levels. Some residents saw the flood waters as an opportunity to drive their jet skis through the town. By this morning, it began to recede, and market vendors who enacted their evacuation plans on Saturday were back today to assess the damage.
Aoifa Wade
Aoifa Wade, Entrepreneur
“The water reached all the way here and you could tell all the floor is muddy and the walls they to power wash everything because the walls kept draining down. And it was not like as bad as 2020 because 2020 reached all the way to the top, but it was pretty bad. For us the wakeup sign is when it reaches the stairs behind the San Ignacio sign. It actually reached behind the bathroom area so we were like this is going to get really bad. The water just started to raise pretty quickly and we were in shock and it stayed like that for two days.”
Paul Lopez
“Have you all ever considered moving from here or why stay here?”
Aoifa Wade
“We have, because not only the weather. It is a danger to us as well, because the furniture can fall. We can get hurt. I mean, someone asked the mayor today why not move the market from the riverside. As vendors, we can’t do anything about it. We can just stay here and hope for the best.”
And so today we asked the mayor for his thoughts on relocating the market to higher ground.
Earl Trapp
Earl Trapp, Mayor, SE/SI
“It makes a lot of sense. The only good thing with being here we have the nice Macal view, but in terms of keeping the market open and service already available, I think it is a good idea to be looking at an area we can get relocate in the near future. With global warming and climate change, I don’t see it getting any better. So, you are right, we can have a lot of freak storm and river rising. I think it is an excellent idea and it is something that I will take up as a local leader and put it in consultation with the general public.”
In the meantime, as of midday, the Macal River was just below the roofs of the wooden structures on the newly built boardwalk.
Earl Trapp
“With the pressure that is coming from the Mopan River and that river is still rising. It mean that this river will take a lot longer before it recedes and before this low lying bridge becomes readily available for the people.”
We’ve already shared how the villagers in Roaring Creek are coping with the floodwaters from Tropical Storm Sara. Meanwhile, residents on the other side of the creek in More Tomorrow Village are doing slightly better. Over the weekend, they were wading through waist-deep water, but it has since receded. However, one villager mentioned that they expect the water levels to rise again in the coming days.
Terrence Sutherland
Terrence Sutherland, More Tomorrow Resident
“The rain that come the last couple of days mein. It really flood out this area from here gaan right down tha lone water you see and I went to the village this morning and mein it was so rough and I know the people down there tek a liking because of the rain, it was a lot of rain. Down that side it was pretty rough. Like I tell you in some of the house people still have water and some have more water like what I tell you the river is still coming down, so the river nuh reach yet down here.”
Britney Gordon
“How high would you say the water is”
Terrence Sutherland
“Well I would figure about 3 or 4 feet in those people house, and it will get more higher because like I tell you the water still the come down.”
Britney Gordon
“And you said it wasn’t too bad on your farm over here, but like what did you see?”
Terrence Sutherland
“Well when I come out from out of my house. I come out like two and a half feet out in my yard with water.”
Britney Gordon
“And you said you recently to more of the entrance, what was it like when you were living back there?”
Terrence Sutherland
“It was pretty rougher, just like what I tell you. The water reach way in the house. Like when I mih deh deh like a couple of five inches inside the house.”
Britney Gordon
“Would you say that it has gotten worse over the years? Or has it been better? Is there anything to alleviate it?”
Terrence Sutherland
“Well I think with this flood weh the come right now it’s just like a hurricane flood. To me it get the same way or worse. It could be a little worse”
Britney Gordon
“How do you see the villagers coping with it.”
Terrence Sutherland
“Well. Like I tell you I mih live back there already more in the village before I move to my farm and we just have to cope with it. Like an animal on a little hill you know but all ah we just have to stay together.”
Britney Gordon
“So they just go through the water and go where they have to go?”
Terrence Sutherland
“Yeah, they have to come out and do a little shopping, and go back inside and just try to make life back again, but yesterday the little group mih come back here and pass and I think they gave them a little food. The food they gave them is not for no long while but for probably a couple days, about two three days and they wah need food again.”
Britney Gordon
“So how long do you think it will be until this water goes down, you said more is to come but how long does that usually last?”
Terrence Sutherland
“When that water left from San Ignacio, it take like two days and a half to reach down here and down here it will last another two and a half to three days down right in the village.”
A mother of three is grateful to be alive tonight after a terrifying ordeal where she was brutally beaten and allegedly kidnapped by her estranged husband early Saturday morning. Released from K.H.M.H. today, she told News Five that she spent the weekend receiving medical care, and a CT scan revealed she’ll need surgery for a broken cheekbone. Sabela Brakeman recounted that she was asleep at her home in the San Pablo area of San Pedro, around one a.m., when her roommate’s screams woke her. She saw her estranged husband attacking her friend with a piece of wood. When she screamed in horror, he turned on her. The assault started in San Pedro but ended in Caye Caulker after he reportedly took her against her will, first on a golf cart and then on a jet ski. News Five’s Marion Ali has the story.
Sabela Brakeman
Sabela Brakeman, Kidnap Victim
“He continued whopping me, which he caused injuries to my head, my forehead, my mouth. He kept knocking me, and then he went outside and see if my friend was there. She was not there no more. She managed to get away to seek help and while I was still in there he was still knocking me with that stick, it’s like a two by four. Then he get me out, he pulled me off my bed and carried me outside. He placed me on a golf cart.”
Kenny Brakeman
Marion Ali, Reporting
Sabela Brakeman claims that her estranged husband, Kenny Brakeman, broke into her house around one A.M. on Saturday in San Pedro and attacked both her and her roommate. While her roommate managed to escape and get help, Sabella wasn’t as fortunate. She says Kenny dragged her out of the house and onto a golf cart. Terrified of what might happen next, she tried to escape by jumping off, scraping her knee in the process. But she couldn’t get away, and he forced her back onto the cart and continued to drive off. The nightmare didn’t end there. Sabela says Kenny then transferred her from the golf cart to a jet ski and took her all the way to Caye Caulker.
Sabela Brakeman
“When he put me back on the golf cart, he keep driving in the direction where he live, and he say, “Mek I see which a**hole wa come save you now. You nuh want deh with me, if you da nuh fi me, you da nuh fi nobody else. And he grab me, he continue ker me. We reach where he live. He grab me, continue drag me. He place me on the jet ski. He braced me on the jet ski. We drive off maybe 30 minutes. When we drive off now, he said, I think that is Chetumal. This is Corozal and that one, I don’t know which part that one, but if you relax and you don’t say nothing, I will let you go in Corozal, and I gwein across the border because police won’t catch me.”
Unaware that she was now on Caye Caulker, Sabela says she managed to break free by hitting Brakeman. She then jumped into the water and swam to a dock. That’s where she finally escaped from him and found help.
Sabela Brakeman
“He was going offshore. That’s when I knocked him and I managed to escape from him. I reached a dock where I climbed the dock. While I was going that way, I see a sign that mark “POLICE.” That is when I went inside the police station and I told the police what happened to me.”
Today, A.C.P. Hilberto Romero mentioned that this is the first time the police have been informed of any domestic issues between the couple. He also confirmed that Sabella’s report has been officially recorded.
“On Saturday, the 16th day of November, 2024, around 2:30am, Caye Caulker police responded to a report at the Caye Caulker Polyclinic, where upon arrival they found Sabela Brakeman with several injuries. She reported that she was in San Pedro, in her bedroom when she was attacked by her ex-husband, Kenny Brakeman, who broke down the door and hit her and a roommate with a piece of stick. Brakeman then placed her on a jet ski and headed towards Caye Caulker. Somewhere near Caye Caulker she managed to jump in the water and she went to seek help. The jet ski was carried over to the police. She was then transported to the K.H.M.H. for treatment where she remains in a stable condition. We’re still looking for Kenny Brakeman, as he has not been found.”
Britney Gordon
“Do we know how he entered her house?”
A.C.P. Hilberto Romero
“He broke down the door and entered her house.”
Sabela shared that she had taken out a restraining order against Brakeman after leaving him due to domestic violence. She initially moved to Toledo for safety but eventually returned to San Pedro to be closer to their three children, who were living with him. She needs surgery to repair a broken cheekbone, her teeth, and a head injury and is asking for your help.
Sabela Brakeman
“The doctors said I need surgery for my gum. This side here is broken. So all this, and all my teeth are soft. I can’t eat and I have one cut here. It start here and goes to here (gesturing). Then I have another one that start here, all the way behind my head. I have another one here. I have my hands, my feet, and all the bruises I get from him.”
Sabela was discharged from the KHMH earlier today. If you would like to help her, you can reach her on 6655083. Marion Ali for New Five
On Friday morning, around nine a.m., police responded to a farmer’s report in the Cayo District about a possible drug plane landing in the Frank’s Eddy area. When they arrived, they found a single-engine plane on the side of a dirt road. Upon closer inspection, they discovered that all the passenger seats had been stripped out. While no drugs were found inside, the investigation is still ongoing. Today, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams revealed that a police officer is under investigation for possible involvement in the case.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“We are still trying to ascertain exactly what cargo came on that plane but as usual we suspect that it could be cocaine. We are looking for one individual likewise who we believe may be able to provide some information to us as it relates to that plane landing. And I can also say to you, I don’t want to hide nothing say to you that we had detained a police officer, a female police officer because we believe that she facilitated a person the person who we believe landed that aircraft in, signing in at the police station outside our was stipulated by the court this person is on bail for a previous plane landing and as a condition to his bail he was ordered to report or to sign in to the Belmopan police station every Friday between eight a.m. and five p.m. Surprisingly, the same night the plane landed, he came to sign in at the Belmopan Police Station after twelve midnight. That would be around the same time the plane would be landing. And this female police officer facilitated him to the extent that she took the diary from inside the station and took it outside of the station for him to sign. That for us is an egregious breach. I’m not going to say that she is involved in the plane landing. What are actions in facilitating this individual knowing who he is to have signed in at that particular moment is extremely questionable. And professional standard branch is looking at that matter and we expect that charges will be levied against her for breach of our internal policy.”
The police are still on the hunt for suspects involved in the landing of a suspected drug plane in the Cayo District. They haven’t yet recovered the plane’s contents. To prevent any further illegal activities, the police decided to burn the plane after they found it. Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams, shared more details about why they made that call.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“We have searched the entire area, including using drones, and we have not been able to do the Sibun River is not too far away from the area where the plane landed, so we believe that if there was any cargo on board the aircraft, it may have left the area via the Sibun River.”
Reporter
“Is there plans to upgrade the radar?”
Chester Williams
“That’s a matter that we’re looking at. JIAC would be in a better position to explain why they were unable to provide to us any tracking on that particular night in question, as you would know, we’re not the ones who work or manages JIAC. We would normally be fed with information coming out of JIAC as released to the illicit tracking. And then once we get those informations, then we would then activate our operational teams. to go into different areas that we would anticipate the plane may likely land. But in this case, that did not occur.”
Britney Gordon
“How was this plane disposed of? Because we came to an understanding that it was burnt. Why was this the case?”
Chester Williams
“Yes that’s a directive that the plane be destroyed. Again it’s the trend that we do now. Instead of putting these planes out for action and sold to the highest bidder, It’s a policy now that we destroy them so as not to have these planes reused. We have seen instances before where the planes were actioned off and then next thing we know the planes end up right back in business again with another set of cargo. So to eliminate that from happening, these aircraft are not destroyed on spot.”
Reporter
“Is this the first plane to have landed suspected drug planes Corozon Creek last December?”
Chester Williams
“Yes.”
Reporter
“And that is because the radar usually picks it up and police toward it, right?”
Chester Williams
“Yes. Okay.”
Reporter
“Do you know how much time elapsed between the landing of the plane, approximately, to when the police got the information?”
Chester Williams
“From our best information, the plane may have landed sometime after midnight. Based on our discussion with people in the area having heard the plane around that time. And we got the information around nine in the morning. That’s ten hours, basically. Alright. Nine to 10 hours by the time the cargo could be far gone.”
Over the weekend, a group of men pulled off a heist at a warehouse in the Corozal Free Zone, making off with millions of Mexican pesos. The police acted swiftly and managed to detain three suspects, including a security guard. Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams, credited their quick response for the arrests. Here are more details on the story.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“Yesterday, morning before the police were notified of a within the free zone. Based on that information the Corozal police mobilized and went to the area. They conducted searches utilizing drones and they were able to locate two individuals who are suspected to have been a part of that burglary. Police also found a bag containing some pesos, and Mexican pesos, along with a few Belize dollars and a few U.S. currency. The bag of money was taken to the Corozal police station, where it was counted, and it amounted to a total of ten thousand four point something million pesos. I think just over two hundred plus US dollars and a small amount of police currency. The two individuals are currently detained. I’m not aware of the total amount of monies stolen during the burglary. I think we’re still trying to ascertain that that figure, but so far we believe we have two of the suspects in custody. We’re still looking for an additional two more persons. We’re hoping that we’ll be able to find them very shortly. And then we see how we go from there.”
Reporter
“How are they able to conduct the robbery?”
Chester Williams
“It’s not a robbery. It’s a burglary. From what we get out again is that it did so in collusion with The security guard who worked at the the establishment. So that security guard is also in custody as a part of our investigation.”
Reporter
“How are you guys able, the quick response to be able to capture them?”
Chester Williams
“The calls were received and the police responded quickly.”
Last week, police got word that a police corporal’s house in Corozal had been shot at. Around 12:30 a.m. in the Finca Solana area, Officer Martin Marin dashed outside after hearing gunfire. He says he heard a motorcycle speeding away as he stepped out. A jeep belonging to Police Inspector Kimara Lopez was also hit, with two bullet holes found and several spent shells scattered around. Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams, shared more details about the incident.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“We have a basic idea of who are those persons behind it and the police have been going after these individuals and contrary to what I saw on social media and again, I want the Belizean people that we cannot be insensitive to the issues, especially where the potential loss of life existed. And we can’t be too harsh on the police officers who are out there every day making sure that you’re safe. I saw some of the comments where people were saying, it’s not good for the police, or the police are chancey, or the police this, the police that, Those comments are very disgusting. At the end of the day, we, we cannot live in a society where the police is not respected because if the criminals don’t respect the police, then how do you expect as an ordinary citizen, criminals are going to respect you? We have to be careful of what we promote or what we encourage. And again, the police officer in question, whose house was, was shot up, he’s an extremely hard-working police, and I can say a very decent one as well. You don’t hear his name out there involved in any criminal activities, but certainly he goes after criminals and perhaps that’s the reason why he was targeted because he’s extremely tough on those persons in the Corozal district who are hell bent on committing crime. So this is an officer who is out there every day. doing his best going above and beyond to ensure the safety of the people across our town. And I think that he ought to be commended. And in a time like this, where we saw that he was targeted, we need to sympathize with him and at the same time extend whatever support we can to make him feel comfortable in continuing to discharge his duties as a police officer.”
