Additional Shelters Opened in Belize City

Phillip Willoughby

In Belize City, residents stocked up on food and other necessities to tidy them over the hurricane. Gas stations, supermarkets and hardware stores were abuzz was activity in preparation for Hurricane Earl. Some of those that were not at the stores transferred to shelters. CEMO Coordinator, Phillip Willoughby is in the thick of things. So far, the initial five shelters have been filled to capacity and seven others had to be opened to accommodate the influx of residents.

Phillip Willoughby, CEMO

“Five shelters were opened earlier this morning with support through the liaison officers from the medical supplies committee, relief supplies committee, the housing and shelter committee which is comprised of the public service and also the police department who will be providing security for the shelterees and the respective schools. Since then I have been briefed that several of the shelters have been filled to capacity and more to this point. But I want to take this opportunity to advice and share with the shelter managers that even though the shelters are filled and we get out to that eleventh hour, let’s try to accommodate them just to get through the night, or just to get by the system. I am now proceeding to opening the extra shelters on the shelter list and by so doing as you came you saw that people were here waiting to utilize and occupy the shelteree. We are expecting that during the course of today into this evening we will see all shelters fully occupied and that pays kudos to the great work that NEMO and ht met service have been giving the advisory and we are feeding it to the various media house across the country. Our people are paying attention, so that is great news and we hope that they keep continuous watch, be vigilant and stay tuned to the relevant information officially coming through the newscast and so forth.”

Duane Moody

“So how many shelter do you have open now in the city?”

Phillip Willoughby

“The five that we open this morning we have since then opened an additional five,  those are the Salvation Army Primary School, Grace Primary School, Queen Square Primary School, Maud Williams High School and  that’s Southside. On the north side we will proceed to open now the all saint primary school, UB building ITVET compound, the engineering building to the rare.”