Weather - Channel 5 Belize

Corozal Town Prepares for Deteriorating Weather Conditions

Tonight, we have a news team in Corozal Town. They will be overnight in that municipality to capture the extent of the winds and rains that residents will likely face when Hurricane Beryl makes landfall in the Yucatan Peninsula. Landfall is expected just after midnight. What News Five’s Paul Lopez found on the ground this evening is residents scrambling to get in some last-minute shopping at the handful of grocery stores that remain open. Most businesses have been shuttered and many of the main streets in the town have limited to no traffic. The central park is unusually empty for a Thursday evening, while several residents are undergoing last-minute work to secure their homes. Clearly, there is a heightened sense of alertness in this part of the country. News Five’s Paul Lopez tells us more.

Paul Lopez, Reporting

As the sun begins to set on Corozal Town, the most northern town in Belize, seas behind me remains calm. Resident are expecting the weather to rapidly deteriorate over the course of tonight. When you look at the main streets, traffic seems to be limited. There is practically no one inside the park and businesses have been shuttered, closed, since midday. Several grocery stores remain open for residents to do their last minute shopping. Interestingly, we met two brothers from San Jose who missed or forgot the bus schedule and as a result missed their bus out of town. Here is what they told us.

Samuel Novelo, San Jose Resident

“My name is Samuel Novelo. We are headed to San Jose.”

Paul Lopez

“Why are you guys standing out here right now and you seem to have a bit of cluelessness in your eyes?”

Samuel Novelo

“We the try get a ride because the bus left us. So, the bus was suppose to head to Belize from four oclock but it didn’t leave from here. It went, so we are trying to catch a ride to go to village. Me and my brother.”

Paul Lopez

“Were you here on time for the bus?”

Samuel Novelo

“Yes, four o’clock, cause that is the time they gave us. The bus came but it didn’t go to the terminal. It went straight to Belize because he didn’t see any customers there.”

Paul Lopez

“How high is your chances of catching a ride right now?”

Samuel Novelo

“We the try hustle a ride at least dah Santa Clara and then we will try to catch a ride to village.”

Paul Lopez

“Is it urgent to get out of Corozal tonight?”

Samuel Novelo

“As soon as possible. I need to reach home. I have a lot of things to do home, put some nails in the windows and a lot of thigns like that. We were at work waiting for the lady, the boss and she reach late. Now I have to hitch hike and reach.”

NEMO Prepared to Provide 24/7 Assistance During Storm

In just a few hours, Hurricane Beryl is anticipated to make landfall on Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. As mentioned earlier by Chief Meteorologist Ronald Gordon, the storm is being closely monitored as it nears the region and evaluated for potential risk. Since Belize is expected to receive heavy rainfall and flooding, the National Emergency Management Organization is fully equipped and prepared to face these weather conditions with twenty-four-seven assistance. National Emergency Coordinator Daniel Mendez, further explains NEMO’s operation plans.

Daniel Mendez, National Emergency Coordinator, NEMO

“Our coordinators across the country and in particular in the northern districts and in the Caye Caulker area and San Pedro area remain in close communication with community leaders. Particularly in this the Corozal and Orange Walk District, we remain in close communication with our river monitors, with all the village and town and city leaders to closely monitor these water levels and to update these as necessary. All our E.O.C.s are activated. They continue to prepare for hurricane Beryl if necessary. Is particularly those areas in the north are on heightened alert for tonight. We remain we have done our restocking, and our warehouses are prepared. Again, like I said, as I reported shelters will be opened in some parts of the country, particularly in the north in preparation for the effects of Beryl. These will be available to people who may need this service in the next few next few hours. Again, the National Emergency Operations Center. Will be in full operation tonight. We will be on twenty-four seven watch for the next few hours and as long as necessary, and we will continue to monitor the passage of Hurricane Barrett as it makes landfall later tonight. And we will be providing any updates as necessary as soon as these, this information comes in from the affected districts.”

NEMO says Don’t Panic

As previously explained by Daniel Mendez, the National Emergency Management Organization and its partners are taking precautions and preparing to offer aid to Belizeans who may be at risk as Hurricane Beryl approaches the Yucatan Peninsula. However, on Wednesday, Prime Minister John Briceño advised the public not to enter a state of panic, but rather to proceed with caution. The National Emergency Coordinator elaborated on finding a balance between being prepared and keeping the country in operation.

Daniel Mendez, National Emergency Coordinator, NEMO

“So it’s not panic. It’s it is finding that balance between safety and keeping the country open we, we take all of the information that we have been receiving from the med service to make that best judgment. And so it’s really finding that right balance. So we’re not in panic mode. We are really trying to see how we can ensure that things continue as normal while at the same time remaining prepared for the effect the possible effects of the storm on. So we constantly do our risk assessments. We take in new information. We’re looking at how we can ensure that the exposure of the people’s exposure is minimized. But at the same time keeping things going. So it’s just like with the med service. It’s not an exact science we cannot say it The entire country will be affected, but we have to go on a case by case basis, hour by hour basis, and really looking at that, using that information for us to be able to update our risk assessments and to advise the government accordingly on what needs to be done.”

More Flood Warnings Issued Throughout Belize

This afternoon, Hurricane Beryl weakened from a category three to a category two storm; however, as Chief Meteorologist Ronald Gordon explained earlier in our newscast, the National Met Service is keeping an eye on the storm’s movements as it shows signs of strengthening. Flood warnings have been issued for areas under storm watch, as urban and flash flooding is expected in various parts of the country. Principal Hydrologist Tenielle Hendy explains.

Tenielle Hendy, Principal Hydrologist, NHS

“We have a flash flood warning for the coastal road and for it to be a little bit more specific we’re speaking in the areas of the Sibun Bridge located in La Democracia Village up until the Gales Point cut off. So we’re advising residents and motorists who are in this area to exercise extreme caution. When they’re using this coastal highway. We also have a flood alert, which means that flooding is possible and you need to be prepared. And Sibun River at Freetown Sibun. Of course, the Sibun River runs through from the west all the way down to just south of Belize City in the Deepwater Port area. So we’re asking for communities in these areas just to remain alert and to stay tuned to our advisories so that we can make the best decisions when determining our traveling arrangements. We also have a flood warning in effect for the Belize and Corozal districts, and we’re not only speaking about the major river systems that are in these districts, but we’re also speaking about tributaries, meaning rivers, creeks, and streams that are associated with those larger river systems. We expect urban flooding to occur on those systems. The rainfall that has been occurring in late June in Mexico, we’re now seeing those rivers coming into the country via the trans boundary influence, and we expect this to continue occurring until they’ve basically exited their countries coming into us, we’re at the, as a downstream country. With the passage of Beryl in that same area again, we can expect this to continue happening or occurring for the upcoming days ahead. In central coastal Belize district, the coastal road, as I mentioned before, we’re seeing very saturated Soil levels and this is a contributing factor for flash flooding as well as the rainfall volumes. We will keep monitoring these different conditions and we will update and advise accordingly via our daily flood forecast.”

Cabinet Briefing on Hurricane Beryl

This morning in Belize City, cabinet also met with Chief Met Officer Ronald Gordon and National Emergency Coordinator Daniel Mendez for a full briefing on Hurricane Beryl. P.M. Briceño has declared a Tropical Storm Watch from Belize City to Corozal, including Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker, which will remain in effect until further notice. Hurricane Beryl is expected to hit the Yucatan Peninsula late tonight through early Friday morning. Nonetheless, northern Belize is expected to experience moderate to heavy rainfall, potentially leading to localized flooding in low-lying and flood-prone areas. In light of this development, Cabinet advises all Belizeans to remain vigilant and heed advisories issued by NEMO and the National Meteorological Service.

Hurricane Beryl Aftermath in Jamaica

On Wednesday, we spoke with a Belizean student in Jamaica just before Hurricane Beryl impacted the island with category four strength winds. We heard from Brianney Smith earlier today, following the passage of the storm. She is doing well but says that many of the main roads in Jamaica are impassable, while several homes have been destroyed. She told us about the unpleasant experience she had weathering a category four hurricane.

Brianney Smith, Belizean Student

“The experience was kind of scary. My shutters were not able to fully close so for me that was kind of frightening. Luckily I have my dad at home and I gave him a call. He helped me to figure out a way to get it shut. I was able to manage that. I would the say the wind and the rain rattling all of the shutters and you can hear, you cant really see outside because the rain and breeze and all kind of things were flooding the window. So, it was a scary experience and it was for hours on end. So just when you think it was slowing down a little bit the wind and the rain and everything just picked up back. The scariest part for me was when it hit nighttime and you cannot see anything outside and you hope that what is happening isn’t too devastating. It transitioned from just wind and rain to thunder and lighting and wind and rain, and it is the kind of thunder that rattles everything inside. Thank God the worst of it is over and that the damage to campus was not that great. Based on what I heard and what I have seen and the images coming into me, I have some friends from Saint Elizabeth that have been really devastated, all of, it is a coastal community, all of their wooden houses, their taches. They has up some taches and everything complete destroyed. A lot of their fruit trees, all of their roofs have just been dismantled by the storm. So my thoughts and prayers goes out to everybody in Saint Elizabeth specifically and all the other communities that have been devastated by the storm.”

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.

In his message, King Charles offered his special thoughts and prayers to those affected by the hurricane. “At this most difficult of times, please know that our most special thoughts and prayers are with all those whose lives, livelihoods, and property have been so utterly devastated,” he concluded.

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.

Beryl will continue on a west-northwest track through the Caribbean Sea for the rest of the week. Although the hurricane will lose some intensity due to increasingly hostile wind shear, it will still pose a considerable danger. Conditions are expected to deteriorate Thursday night as Beryl makes landfall early Friday morning, anywhere from the Belize border to Costa Maya and Cozumel. The region should brace for storm surge flooding, potentially damaging winds, and flooding rain. Heavy rain and strong wind gusts will persist in the Yucatan Peninsula through Friday night, and Beryl is anticipated to turn northwest after emerging over the southwestern Gulf of Mexico.