By Alicia Cruz
The Black Urban Times
By Tuesday morning electricity had been restored to approximately 70 percent of Belizean residents and the privately owned Belize Electricity Limited was projecting to have the entire grid restored by nightfall, The Associated Press reported.
Late Sunday, Hurricane Richard made land fall approximately 10 miles south of the capital, Belmopan, but weakened rapidly, first to a tropical storm and then a tropical depression.
Richard slammed into the small Central American country with maximum sustained winds of 150KM/Hr (74–95 MPH winds), making it a Category 1 hurricane, according to the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale.
An estimated 10,000 Belizeans sought refuge in storm shelters set up at local schools and churches prior to Richard's landfall.
Belizean.com reported that the country's electrical grid went down sometime Sunday evening, starting in the southern Toledo district, followed by Belize City, western and northern Belize and then the capital City of Belmopan.
Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport has now reopened and flights are running as scheduled despite additional flights put in place to return Belizeans home who were re-routed to other countries, for example El Salvador, when the storm caused flights to be diverted.
All schools in the Belize, Cayo and Stann Creek district, many that served as shelters during the storm, are closed but will reopen on Wednesday. Internet and cable service remain unavailable due to downed lines and utility poles.
During a national address, the Belizean government placed damages --much of it structural and agricultural, which is a key part of the country's economy -- from the storm at approximately $18 million (U.S.)., and Prime Minister Dean Barrow has vowed to find the money needed to begin rebuilding and restoring the country, The Hurricane Network reported.
As of Tuesday, thousands of Belizeans remained in shelters after their homes had been obliterated by the storm, which left a path of destruction from the coast through Belize City to the north, down to Dangriga in the south. The collapse of the electrical grid led to a interruption in the water flow as the government owned water company does not have backup generators to power its pumping stations.
Belizean officials have said there are no reported deaths, but a survey of the country's ravaged electrical grid has revealed substantial damages to transmission lines. Belize purchases electrical power from Mexico and generates its own from two hydro plants.
Fighting back tears, Donna Young, of Belize City, told The Associated Press, "I thought I was going to die," as she huddled in the corner of her home with her four dogs as her house "shook furiously in the wind all night long."
Richard formed last weekend over the Caribbean and became a tropical storm late Wednesday. Before moving up to Belize, Richard saturated Honduras' Caribbean coast and the departmental capital city of la Islas de la Bahía (The Bay Islands), Roatán, a popular destination spot for tourists and divers.
Hundreds also sought refuge in local shelters in Roatán where winds climbed upwards to 58 mph (93 kph) at the peak of the storm. Lisandro Rosales, the head of Honduras' Permanent Emergency Commission, said no deaths or injuries had been reported.
Belizean officials have said there are no reported deaths, but a survey of the country's ravaged electrical grid has revealed substantial damages to transmission lines. Belize purchases electrical power from Mexico and generates its own from two hydro plants.
As of Tuesday, thousands of Belizeans remained in shelters after their homes had been obliterated by the storm, which left a path of destruction from the coast through Belize City to the north, down to Dangriga in the south.
The last time Belmopan, nicknamed The Garden City, was left in such ruin was Halloween 1961 after Hurricane Hattie made landfall south of Belize City as a powerful category 5 storm causing millions of dollars in damages and killing 319 people. As violence and turmoil exploded in the aftermath of the storm, HMS Troubridge --the British frigate -- was forced to land 125 men to aid colony police in halting widespread looting and pillaging.
The damage to Belize City forced government officials to relocate to a new capital 50 miles inland to its present location in Belmopan. Villages such as Hattieville, were formed from temporary shelters built for those left itinerant by Hurricane Hattie.
In 2005, the 44th anniversary Hurricane Hattie, the Belizean government unveiled a monument in Belize City to recognize the victims of Hattie, whose name was retired the following year and replaced with "Holly" in 1965.
The Black Urban Times
By Tuesday morning electricity had been restored to approximately 70 percent of Belizean residents and the privately owned Belize Electricity Limited was projecting to have the entire grid restored by nightfall, The Associated Press reported.
Late Sunday, Hurricane Richard made land fall approximately 10 miles south of the capital, Belmopan, but weakened rapidly, first to a tropical storm and then a tropical depression.
Richard slammed into the small Central American country with maximum sustained winds of 150KM/Hr (74–95 MPH winds), making it a Category 1 hurricane, according to the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale.
An estimated 10,000 Belizeans sought refuge in storm shelters set up at local schools and churches prior to Richard's landfall.
Belizean.com reported that the country's electrical grid went down sometime Sunday evening, starting in the southern Toledo district, followed by Belize City, western and northern Belize and then the capital City of Belmopan.
Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport has now reopened and flights are running as scheduled despite additional flights put in place to return Belizeans home who were re-routed to other countries, for example El Salvador, when the storm caused flights to be diverted.
All schools in the Belize, Cayo and Stann Creek district, many that served as shelters during the storm, are closed but will reopen on Wednesday. Internet and cable service remain unavailable due to downed lines and utility poles.
During a national address, the Belizean government placed damages --much of it structural and agricultural, which is a key part of the country's economy -- from the storm at approximately $18 million (U.S.)., and Prime Minister Dean Barrow has vowed to find the money needed to begin rebuilding and restoring the country, The Hurricane Network reported.
As of Tuesday, thousands of Belizeans remained in shelters after their homes had been obliterated by the storm, which left a path of destruction from the coast through Belize City to the north, down to Dangriga in the south. The collapse of the electrical grid led to a interruption in the water flow as the government owned water company does not have backup generators to power its pumping stations.
Belizean officials have said there are no reported deaths, but a survey of the country's ravaged electrical grid has revealed substantial damages to transmission lines. Belize purchases electrical power from Mexico and generates its own from two hydro plants.
Fighting back tears, Donna Young, of Belize City, told The Associated Press, "I thought I was going to die," as she huddled in the corner of her home with her four dogs as her house "shook furiously in the wind all night long."
Richard formed last weekend over the Caribbean and became a tropical storm late Wednesday. Before moving up to Belize, Richard saturated Honduras' Caribbean coast and the departmental capital city of la Islas de la Bahía (The Bay Islands), Roatán, a popular destination spot for tourists and divers.
Hundreds also sought refuge in local shelters in Roatán where winds climbed upwards to 58 mph (93 kph) at the peak of the storm. Lisandro Rosales, the head of Honduras' Permanent Emergency Commission, said no deaths or injuries had been reported.
Belizean officials have said there are no reported deaths, but a survey of the country's ravaged electrical grid has revealed substantial damages to transmission lines. Belize purchases electrical power from Mexico and generates its own from two hydro plants.
As of Tuesday, thousands of Belizeans remained in shelters after their homes had been obliterated by the storm, which left a path of destruction from the coast through Belize City to the north, down to Dangriga in the south.
The last time Belmopan, nicknamed The Garden City, was left in such ruin was Halloween 1961 after Hurricane Hattie made landfall south of Belize City as a powerful category 5 storm causing millions of dollars in damages and killing 319 people. As violence and turmoil exploded in the aftermath of the storm, HMS Troubridge --the British frigate -- was forced to land 125 men to aid colony police in halting widespread looting and pillaging.
The damage to Belize City forced government officials to relocate to a new capital 50 miles inland to its present location in Belmopan. Villages such as Hattieville, were formed from temporary shelters built for those left itinerant by Hurricane Hattie.
In 2005, the 44th anniversary Hurricane Hattie, the Belizean government unveiled a monument in Belize City to recognize the victims of Hattie, whose name was retired the following year and replaced with "Holly" in 1965.
No comments:
Post a Comment
We appreciates all comments and fosters free speech, however, keep in mind that we have young readers who peruse our site. Having said that, please refrain from using profane language, and know that flaming will not be tolerated. Spam will not be tolerated.