Update from Belize
#1
Don't forget your towel
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2007
Location: Sunny San Ignacio, Belize :-)
Posts: 11
Update from Belize
Monday; In our yard, 75 miles inland, nothing much more than sporadic bouts of heavy rain and gusts, one power out, phone lines were live at all times.
The couple staying with us from Corozal set off back yesterday just after lunch after the all clear. They still have now power or piped water this afternoon (Wednesday). They said a restaurants' roof was blown off and the roof from next door landed in it's place, lucky or what. Perhaps the next storm will change it back again.
Chetumal took a good whacking, they say it was a Cat 5 when it struck land, winds in excess of 150 mph plus.
Extraordinarily, this was a dry hurricane. No reported casualties and relatively minor property damage, mostly to docks and such. Worse in Corozal, but not catastrophic.
The biggest producer's papaya crop was demolished but they have plenty of workers to get it up and running, good thing the ground is wet and good for planting right now.
It was good to get back on the torch this morning and listening to the rain chucking it down outside. The garden is smiling.
Peace and Blessings from hot & steamy San Ignacio.
The couple staying with us from Corozal set off back yesterday just after lunch after the all clear. They still have now power or piped water this afternoon (Wednesday). They said a restaurants' roof was blown off and the roof from next door landed in it's place, lucky or what. Perhaps the next storm will change it back again.
Chetumal took a good whacking, they say it was a Cat 5 when it struck land, winds in excess of 150 mph plus.
Extraordinarily, this was a dry hurricane. No reported casualties and relatively minor property damage, mostly to docks and such. Worse in Corozal, but not catastrophic.
The biggest producer's papaya crop was demolished but they have plenty of workers to get it up and running, good thing the ground is wet and good for planting right now.
It was good to get back on the torch this morning and listening to the rain chucking it down outside. The garden is smiling.
Peace and Blessings from hot & steamy San Ignacio.
#2
Victorian Evangelist
Joined: Sep 2005
Location: Melbourne, by the beach, living the dream.
Posts: 7,704
Re: Update from Belize
Thanks for the update Don Pablo, I was thinking about you and yours and glad to hear you're alive and well, btw we ended up going to the little village of Puerto Morelos in the Yucatan on our way to Oz as the transport for Belize was just too complicated to organise with 2 wee kids and 1 million bags.
I think the Yucatan has had the hurricane even worse!
Buzzy
I think the Yucatan has had the hurricane even worse!
Buzzy
#3
Don't forget your towel
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2007
Location: Sunny San Ignacio, Belize :-)
Posts: 11
Re: Update from Belize
Seems like it's always the poorer folks that get hit the hardest! A lot of crop damage but thankfully no casualties.
#4
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,782
Re: Update from Belize
Many north Americans are discovering these places now and hopefully it will help improve the development of the region and not spoil things too much.
Best wishes
John H.
Last edited by johnh009; Sep 2nd 2007 at 1:53 am.
#5
Just Joined
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3
Re: Update from Belize
Sounds like you all had a miraculous escape. A Cat 5 is just the worst thing... I was fearing another New Orleans for you guys, but thankfully you were spared. Does it bother you to live in a country that is at risk from hurricanes? Belize and the surrounding countries are very nice but the risks from extreme weather personally scare me.
Alan
Alan
#6
Just Joined
Joined: Oct 2007
Location: San Ignacio, Belize
Posts: 2
Re: Update from Belize
For me the mitigating factors are that out of all of the above, the path of the hurricane can be tracked before its arrival thereby at least offering the opportunity to evacuate. Furthermore, contrary to popular belief most damage from a hurricane comes from the storm surge that follows, rather than the wind itself.
As soon as the hurricane hits land, it starts to slow and as the ground rises in elevation it slows further, therefore the worst destruction is in a relatively thin band running along the coast. For example, the Cayo district of Belize being both inland and a higher elevation has rarely been badly affected by a hurricane despite some big ones hitting the coastline. In fact this area is where most people come when they evacuate from an impending storm!
#7
Don't forget your towel
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2007
Location: Sunny San Ignacio, Belize :-)
Posts: 11
#8
Banned
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: Bowsher - foot of the mountain, head of an ass.
Posts: 264
Re: Update from Belize
Used to go shaggin in Raols Rose Garden near the army camp - still there?