- Updates from the Islands -

- - Belize - -

Belize Maps: Overview - Monkey River Area - Iris Trajectory

The bulletin board at ambergriscaye.com and belizeermergency.net are also excellent sources of information. Money for Iris Hurricane Relief can be donated through ambergriscaye.com. -Gert

- - - 2001 Hurricane Season - - -

- spring

From: island king <islandking AT belizemail.net>
Date: Fri, 29 Mar 2002 08:33:04 -0800 (PST)



greetings,

trust all had a neat equniox--have a happy an blessed easter--and a nice may day

love n peace

lindell

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- season up-date

From: island king <islandking AT belizemail.net>
Date: Fri, 14 Dec 2001 10:01:23 -0800 (PST)



hi all,

heres where we're at--Over the Waves--goone for good--how much money/bldg. 
materials can i throw at the sea before i learn!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Jabiru--rebuilt bigger and better-- added a computer room--one master--4 
slaves--off star-beam--up/down faster then home!!!--and were free of 
B.T.L.--YEA!!!!!!!!!!!!--we have online-scanning- printing--with fresh coffee( 
real)--24/7--yes thats right 24/7---restraunt open 6 a.m-10 p.m. 7 days 
/week--bar open 6 a.m. - 3 a.m. 7 days /week--car rental--Troopers/ Trackers 
only 24/7---new service--pick it up at airport--leave it here--vice/versa---we 
are the only car rental co in country with 24/7 road service( call melita after 
9 p.m. not me!!!!!!!!)

hope to see you all soon!!!!!!!!!!!--Placencia is still a waste land--nothing 
was left!!!!!!!!!!!1

Zabney has her own e-mail----- z.girl103 AT belize.net

all have a great and safe holiday season

Lindell & zabney Hess

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- test

From: island king <islandking AT belizemail.net>
Date: Wed, 12 Dec 2001 14:24:53 -0800 (PST)



hi all,

test message from hopkins belize--first signal out on skyband--yea--

lindell

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- iris

From: island king <islandking AT belizemail.net>
Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2001 07:20:03 -0700 (PDT)



news just starting to come in from coast -south --it is very bad!!placencia to 
dangriga 75-100 damage--road to toledo impassable--shrimp farms 
gone--indigenous housing gone--big creek bannan 100%flat
hopkins --placencia--lost beach--no electricty anywhere

island king


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- Hurricane Iris Update -- 3pm Wednesday Oct 10As ,2001

From: "Mark Ireland" <mark.ireland AT dfcbelize.org>
Date: Wed, 10 Oct 2001 15:27:55 -0600

Highlights taken from a press conference 3:00pm given by NEMO

-- Major rivers have receded somewhat allowing heavy trucks to pass through Section 2 of Southern Highway

-- Lots of food and medicine being trucked into Toledo district (hardest hit)

-- Some villages totally devastated

-- Belize Defense Force (BDF)has started deploying tents to be used for "medium term requirements"

-- No outbreak of communicable diseases reported as yet

-- Local pediatric nurse practitioners deployed to district towns

-- UNICEF, PAHO and RED CROSS have completed their medical assessments and are to take further action

-- Full environmental impact still being assessed via aerial surveillance

Government of Belize

--The Development Finance Corporation (DFC) to make available 145 pre-fab houses for shelter

From Mexico

-- From the Governor of Quintana Roo, Mexico. The governor's wife has sent 8 truckloads of food & medicine

-- 2 medium lift helicopters are to arrive tomorrow, Friday 12, October 2001.

-- 8 self-contained medical teams expected tomorrow as well

United States

-- Initial cash grant of over $200,000 given

-- 2 experts in are in the country to assess damages

-- More relief likely

- Useful website in Belize __ Hurricane Update

From: "Mark Ireland" <mark.ireland AT dfcbelize.org>
Date: Wed, 10 Oct 2001 13:51:21 -0600

The following web links should get you the most updated information on recovery efforts in Belize following Hurricane Iris

I think you should know that the people of Belize are all pitching in help their brothers and sisters in the South. Notices are being broadcast live over the radio (Love FM). Telecommunications are more or less in tact in the 4 other districts not affected. In the two affected districts (Stann Creek and Toledo) cell phones are being heavily used. In the district town of Punta Gorda (Toledo) telephone communication is still relatively ok in a good portion of the town.

http://www.belizeemergency.net/ (updates from National Emergency Organization NEMO)

http://www.belize.net (for links to almost anything else about Belize)

- Hurricane Iris- Belize

From: "Mark Ireland" <mark.ireland AT dfcbelize.org>
Date: Wed, 10 Oct 2001 11:40:32 -0600

The Governor of Quintana Roo in Mexico (Belize's northern neighbour) has pledged helicopter assistance for Belize. >>From his speech carried live over the radio, the first should be in Belize right about now. There also truckloads of food and medicine sent in from Quintana Roo as well. The major problem now for relief workers seems to be getting people into some form of shelter with a roof. Most of the roofs in the affected area (Placencia, Seine Bight, Monkey River, Independence, San Marcos, and Toledo district) have been blown off buildings. Getting food to people is also a major concern as rivers (which in that particular area are usually subject to flash flooding) have swollen. Village leaders are now making their appeals over the radio with more urgency.

This afternoon should see more concerted action taken.

On another note, this area happens to be the banana belt of Belize and reports from some of my co-workers who work with the local Development Finance Corporation(a government owned entity) is the banana industry is at the moment literally flattened. Also, we have yet to confirm the damage to the citrus sector, which is concentrated more in the Stann Creek district. Most of the damage seems to have been in the Toledo district (adjacent to Stann Creek).

These two crops account for a sizeable portion of our foreign exchange.

P.S. Can you post a message to Nerius Frederick in Dominica for me. I would really appreciate an e-mail from my old buddy.

- Iris

From: ronnablo AT btl.net
Date: Tue, 9 Oct 2001 10:28:08 -0500

Good Morning,

The morning's news is that the south of Belize has been badly 
affected.  There have been deaths, there are people missing and 
the "word" is that some villages have suffered 90% loss of homes, 
but all this is second hand information, at best, because I haven't 
had a chance to listen to the radio myself yet.  

If you are concerned about loved ones in the south I'm not the best 
person to ask because I don't know many people in the south who 
could give me information.  I can try to make a phone call if you 
have a phone number for me, though.

Sylvia

- Excellent news link

From: Gert van Dijken <gert AT vandijken.com>
Date: Tue, 9 Oct 2001 10:56:48 -0400 (EDT)


http://dailynews.yahoo.com/fc/World/Hurricane_Season/

*
**
*** Gert van Dijken ( gert AT vandijken.com )
**** Caribbean Hurricane Network - http://stormcarib.com/

- Iris in Belize == Wave Dancer lost, 11 confirmed dead

From: "John G. Lankford" <jglankford AT charter.net>
Date: Tue, 9 Oct 2001 07:45:43 -0500

Hurricane Iris Aftermath Belize

latest Reuters story out of Belmopan
http://news.excite.com/news/r/011009/03/news-weather-iris-dc

MSNBC,
http://www.msnbc.com/news/638825.asp?0cm=c30

http://ambergriscaye.com/message/Forum7/HTML/000133.html

Love FM Updates carried on AmbergrisCaye.com
http://ambergriscaye.com/message/Forum7/HTML/000150.html

Wave Dancer Peter Hughes Diving capsized at Big Creek 20 aboard 8
known survivors
http://www.peterhughes.com/phwave/waveboat.htm

Wave Dancer 11  bodies recovered Tuesday morning Love FM
http://www.lovefm.com/

Strike areas property damage Love FM
http://www.lovefm.com/

Prior flooding Port Loyola Area, Belize City Channel 5
http://www.channel5belize.com/news/welcome.shtml#1

- 11 p.m.

From: ronnablo AT btl.net
Date: Mon, 8 Oct 2001 23:17:03 -0500

Hi All,

I had just decided to try to get some sleep with my kids when my 
husband informed me that the storm had passed, and we could go 
back into our house.  We were in my sister's house, close by, a 
little more storm worthy than our own house.  

I was stunned.  Yet another hurricane passed by San Ignacio and 
Benque area with hardly more than a heavy breeze, and not much 
more than one heavy rain and some drizzle.  Wow, thank God.  

I'm not so sure the people down around Placencia and Monkey 
River, where it made landfall, will have the same story, but I'm 
pretty sure that if your loved ones are in Belize City, Belmopan, 
Cayo, or any place north of those places, they'll be fine.  I'll keep 
an ear out for how things went down south.

Sylvia

- Hurricane Iris

From: ronnablo AT btl.net
Date: Mon, 8 Oct 2001 08:19:21 -0500

Hi All,

I woke up this morning to news of a category 4 hurricane headed 
straight for us.  Wow.  I'm inland, in San Ignacio, so expect the 
winds to have weakened some before they get to us. 

I talked to a friend on one of the islands and all is quiet still there, 
just a bit of wind out on the reef.

I'll try to keep you all updated in between preparations.

Sylvia

- T.S. Chantel - Belize - Wet & Windy but OK

From: "kevinhelen" <kevinhelen AT btl.net>
Date: Tue, 21 Aug 2001 00:58:43 -0600

Night time has fallen and all is well. The wind has certainly picked up. Unfortunately I have no way of measuring windspeed/rainfall etc so I'll paint the picture.

Palm trees are now merrily swaying away and doors/shutters beginning to rattle with the stronger gusts, which would definitely greatly hinder a person walking. Rainfall has been on and off, currently off as I write, but has been steady and not too hard. Looking at the official information Chantal is now the closest it is going to get to Belize if it continues on its predicted path. Therefore we still have a fair bit of wet stuff to get through that is trailing behind the storm. Belize City area is especially low lying and we still have to keep a careful eye on any flooding that Chantal could bring. The areas that do flood are well known to people and plenty of sandbagging has taken place. Also since Keith a great deal of storm drainage work has been completed alongside the roads from Ladyville to Belize City. This could be its first test! Lets hope it works especially as we have only just got our roads resurfaced properly since Keith. We still have an electricity supply which is surging & dipping a little more than usual (I am lucky enough to have back up) and the cable TV is generally still available with a few satellite interruptions. No report of flooding yet so were in pretty good shape.

I have had emails asking about San Pedro. This is all I know to date. On Sunday at about 10am San Pedro & Caye Caulker "shut down". All hotels closed and told guests to leave. All premises then boarded up and made ready for bad weather. All other persons/workers etc that did not need to stay also were advised to leave. At the San Pedro airport there were very long waits to get off the island. It would also seem that the Airlines were only interested in those who had plenty of cash in their hands as friends of mine who had already bought return tickets prior to Sunday stated they were repeatedly told to "go away". Despite turning up at the airport at 10am they did not board until mid afternoon. People with tickets or wanting to pay on credit cards were put to the back of the long queue!!!!! The local news reports are that all of the Islands are well prepared and ready for whatever comes their way. Hopefully all will pass in a few days and the Islands will be open for business soon.

A quick note on the local sea state which is Rough, small craft warning in place, wave height outside the reef 12ft.

I shall sign off for now. Thanks to those of you who have emailed. I will reply ASAP. Best wishes to all of you further up the coast line, especially those in RV's.

Stay Safe & Dry

Helen

- T.S. Chantal - Outlook from Belize

From: "kevinhelen" <kevinhelen AT btl.net>
Date: Mon, 20 Aug 2001 13:34:34 -0600

Hello again from Belize. Weather here is still very good. It is now bright but overcast, frequent gentle rain showers and a gentle breeze, the odd rumble of thunder and the birds are still around. All the official information and satellite photography point to the fact that we should be ok here in Belize.

I have been informed that the Belize International Airport will be closing and many stores, shops and banks are going to close at about 2pm today also other employers are letting staff go home early. Many US tourists have been evacuated from the various Cayes around Belize and are trying to get flights back to the US. The Belizean Government has also issued an imminent weather strike warning for Belize. Hopefully this is just them being over-cautious and making sure that everyone is ready just in case the worst does happen, after all a few people were caught out during Hurricane Keith last year.

Remember current weather conditions here are just like a typical wet day in rainy season. Should this change I will post more information.

Best Wishes to All

Helen

- Hello from Belize - T.S. Chantel

From: "kevinhelen" <kevinhelen AT btl.net>
Date: Mon, 20 Aug 2001 08:18:39 -0600

Tropical Storm is approaching the coast of Belize. I am situated a few miles North of Belize City where the Hurricane Watch is in force. We are currently experiencing a slight weather change, there is a light breeze, nothing more than to gently sway the leaves of palm trees, an occasional clap of thunder and rain showers (although it is "rainy season"). The sky is overcast with the sun trying very hard to shine. Another good sign is that the birds are still here. Hopefully, as Chantal remains disorganised, it looks like we are just going to get wet, certainly here everyone is just going about their daily routine - umbrella in hand! In the meantime, if you haven't already, now is not too late to make final checks or repairs to hurricane shutters etc. I will submit a further report if this situation changes.

Helen