More Havoc from Flood of '08

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The great flood of 2008 continues to wreak havoc all across Belize - in the Orange Walk, Corozal, Cayo and Belize Districts. The footprint of this disaster is huge and everyday it expands.

First to the Belize District, where on the Crooked Tree Lagoon, the water is almost 7 feet above the causeway and still rising slowly. Same goes for Maypen and Double Run, where the floodwaters have exceeded the Mitch record and are approaching the high mark set by Hurricane Keith. Water levels also continue to rise near Burrell Boom and that village still cannot be approached from the Western Highway.

The level is also rising along the Northern Highway near the Haulover Bridge and we’ll tell you about the risk factors for that later on.

But the levels are going down in Rancho Dolores and Lemonal, as well as St. Paul's Bank and Willows Bank, and Double Head Cabbage. The level is steady near Bermudian Landing, Flowers Bank and Isabella Bank.

Lord’s Bank which we showed you yesterday is still largely under water and 2 families have been moved to a shelter and water continue to rise.

Four NEMO teams were sent out to assess flood damage at the 8 miles community, lower Sandhill, Gardenia, Biscayne, Lord’s Bank Burrell Boom, Fresh Pond and Young Bank.

In Orange Walk, the Hondo is still rising and the Albion Island of San Antonio, San Roman and San Victor Villages which are encircled by the Hondo report rapid rising waters as well.

At Douglas Village, the river level almost at the record level set in Hurricane Keith stage and it is rising rapidly. 80 families have been evacuated from that village and 25 more were scheduled to do so today. They are at shelters in San Pablo and Nuevo San Juan or with relatives in Orange Walk Town.

Similarly, in Corozal, there have been damages in Concepcion, Sarteneja, Xaibe, Patchakan and Libertad – many of the villages that were also pummelled by Hurricane Dean.

Floodwaters Rip Open Culverts on Western Highway

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It is, by all estimated, a daily growing disaster – a large part of the nation was paralyzed this morning when a portion of the Western Highway was washed away. Paralysed because like we told you earlier, the Boom Road is flooded, and when mile 9 on the Western Highway had a partial collapse, for a few hours there was no way for vehicles to get in and out of the city. Almost unthinkable, but it didn’t just up and happen. It started last night at midnight when out 7NEWS team was out on the highway for a preview of things to come.

Jules Vasquez Reporting,
It looks more like a sinkhole than a pothole but this is the virtual cater like orifice that Minister of State in the Ministry of Works Edmund Castro almost drove into last night at a few minutes to midnight.

Hon. Edmund Castro, Minister of State
“On our way from Sunset Park and 8 miles we ran into this what seems or what appears to be a pothole. We swerved away from it and then we stopped. As the Minister of State in the Ministry of Works anything concerning roads is of interest to me as well and so we stopped and when we checked it out we saw that it was a crater which is about 5 to 6 feet in diameter.”

And possibly as many feet deep. This is what it looks like inside – there’s nothing there holding up the road, the entire foundation has been eroded by the floodwater. It is simply being held by the cohesion of the wafer thin pavement – which if left un-noticed, at night would have been a sure recipe for disaster.

Hon. Edmund Castro,
“Disaster. This hole can take up a small car easily and all you will see probably is the taillight of the car. So it would have been real disaster.”

But disaster was averted as the road was closed from midnight until 6:00 am. During that time Castro mobilised a nearby private work crew to patch it up – in time for the morning traffic.

Jules Vasquez,
There are thousands of Belizeans on this highway, just tomorrow morning there will be thousands. Should we be extra vigilant for suspicious potholes?

Hon. Edmund Castro,
“Yes, definitely. A 100 yards from here the next one can happen.”

6 hours alter a commuter saw this 200 yards away, near the entrance to Westlake Park at mile 9.

Hon. Edmund Castro,
“As soon as we finished and were prepared to go in with the equipment we found out by a commuter through a phone call that there is also another culvert that had collapsed at mile 9 on the Western Highway.”

It may look like just a gusher at the road shoulder but inside is like a water filled cavern – and again, there’s nothing holding up the road – a full half of the road held up by just the cohesion of the pavement crust.

But this is far different from what we saw last night because this was the height of the morning rush – mostly everyone heading into the city for work and school and the road was closed for about two hours. And then it was opened to light trucks and cars, but closed to container trucks and busses as police battled to control traffic, this one looked like he was landing a plane, while NEMO’s Phillip Willoughby, always eager to get in on the action, assisted.

And while cars passed on the safe side of the road, busses were not allowed, and travellers had to carry their loads and walk about a half a mile through water to get across the trouble area. These schoolchildren had been on their bus for about an hour when we got there and after a while just had to decide to hike it over to the next side, this child looked like he was late for school while others seemed to enjoy the barefoot brigade.

And while they walked past – slowly, the road was giving way – being taken into the coarsing currents. First a small piece falls away and then a bigger piece, and then another fissure appears and that leads to the collapse of a whole chunk of pavement.

And while the road collapsed, so did this stranded bystander Alex Recinios who was waiting for the road to clear. Police and NEMO officials rushed to help but none of them seemed to know CPR or even how to take a pulse, so they held his head. He was mostly unresponsive and so they trundled him into a police mobile and carted him off to the KHMH.

And as he was whisked off, the excavator – which had been on its way for hours, got to work, exposing what lies beneath the road – which is just water. Frightening to think again, how many cars and buses had been driving on that.

And the cause? This zinc culvert – now reduced to mangled detritus by the ferocious running water working its way into the Almond Hill Lagoon. When the excavators work was done, the road was like a decorative carapace above a swollen river.

And the next step a temporary measure was to compact the hole with these boulders. Castro who had been on the road since midnight told us what was the plan

Hon. Edmund Castro,
“What we are doing is we are excavating out the whole collapsed culvert which is no good and we are using a temporary method in using some boulders and hardcore so that the traffic will be able to pass without any problem.”

It is a temporary measure, but the question is, on this very flooded road, which culvert will go next?

The Ministry of Works continues to monitor, and a little later on, we’ll hear from Works CEO and engineer Cadet Henderson on what precisely are the risks on the Western Highway.

Prime Minister Dean Barrow Will Declare National Emergency

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And while Minister of State in Works Edmund Castro was on the ground, this morning Prime Minister Dean Barrow along with Minister of Works Boots Martinez and his Chief Executive Officer Cadet Henderson were in the air. This morning the Prime Minister got a bird’s eye view of the emerging threats on the Northern and Western Highways and in Belama during a brief helicopter tour. 7NEWS was on board.

Keith Swift Reporting,
Barrow first flew over parts of the Northern and Western Highways that flood waters have inundated. And then it was an aerial tour of Belize City - specifically Belama Phase 3 which for the most part is now submerged. After the flyover, Prime Minister Dean Barrow gave us his impression.

Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
“The CEO was able to point out where the immediate remedial attention is being given to the spot along the Western Highway at my mile 9 where there was the collapse of the culverts. So that is up and running again and then we went to Belama, we did a flyover there, and it looks horrible.”

And that may have been an understatement because we later accompanied Barrow on a ground tour of Belama where he not only saw but got an earful from residents in the inundated community.

Belama Resident
“You know how much years I’ve been complaining about this piece of road. I am the guy that you hear complaining all the time on the radio for the past 15 years.”

Works Minister Boots Martinez says it will be fixed – starting as early as tonight. His told us what his plan is to dig drains to drain the water.

Hon. Anthony Boots Martinez, Minister of Works
“Effective this evening we are getting equipment, at least two excavator trucks and we will drain the water over to the sea and back to the river.”

Keith Swift.
So you’re going to dig a big drain.

Hon. Anthony Boots Martinez,
“Well we’ll be using excavator and also we’re putting in some necessary culverts and joining in the necessary canals where they were blocked up. So we are looking at the whole comprehensive area in terms of getting out the water. It is pathetic to look and see the way the water is overtaking people’s homes in the Belama area.”

Keith Swift,
When should people start seeing the effect, how quickly do you expect the water to drain out?

Hon. Anthony Boots Martinez,
“Well I would say about a day and a half. It is very important for the Prime Minister to be out here today to see without being an engineer what the type of work we need to put in and you know it is very important too because he needs to find the financing for us to alleviate this problem.”

And Prime Minister Barrow says that is his number priority – finding funds to clean up this mess. He confirmed that some of the Venezuelan millions will be used for recovery efforts.

Hon. Dean Barrow,
“The biggest problem will be the money for reconstruction but we are determined that this will be done. We’ve already agreed in Cabinet, we just wanted to consult with the social partners who are part of what we’re going to do with the Venezuelan money, we have already agreed that a portion will have to be diverted to assist with the home reconstruction for those that have been affected. We’re going to have to find additional money for the repair of infrastructure more than I had committed initially. The challenge is where to find the money but we have the certain knowledge that it will be found. It must be found come what may.”

Keith Swift,
Will there be any other declarations of disaster areas?

Hon. Dean Barrow,
“Absolutely. In the Belize District, look at what’s happening in Lord’s Bank, apart from what’s happening in Belama and of course along the river valley and so certainly Orange Walk. I think we’re going to make those declarations, we’re also going to declare that this is a national emergency, not declare a national state of emergency, merely that this is a national emergency. There is a little bit of funding that we can access from the IDB but a precondition for that is the declaration of a national emergency. Just to get the money we are not going to do it, except the facts justify such a declaration. The facts clearly do now and so we’re going to make that declaration.”

MOW: Northern Highway Safe but Vulnerable

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And while it was the Western Highway that gave in last night, for the past week, everyone has been concerned about the Northern Highway. Today the former Chief Engineer and now Chief Executive Officer Cadet Henderson says there is no reason to be alarmed. He told us the Northern Highway is structurally sound. He blamed the collapse in portions of the Western Highway on corroded metal culverts. And the good news is there aren’t many like that on the Northern Highway.

Cadet Henderson, CEO – Ministry of Works
“It is vulnerable but we will be monitoring it closely and if we have any collapse or propagation of the failure there we will respond quickly.”

Keith Swift,
Should drivers be concerned when crossing that area?

Cadet Henderson,
“What area?”

Keith Swift,
Same area on the Northern Highway between the Haulover Bridge and the airport.

Cadet Henderson,
“Well I would say if it becomes perilous, if it poses a serious danger we will either stop traffic or provide guidance to the motorists. We will have people out there with safety vests and caution tape to make sure you stay within the carriage way of the road.”

Keith Swift,
So driver should be thinking twice about passing that area?

Cadet Henderson,
“No. Whatever failure is likely will not be catastrophic. It would be something progressive, you would see a tell tale that cautions you that something that is happening.”

Keith Swift,
But could it be like what happened last night on the Western Highway?

Cadet Henderson,
“In this area of the Northern Highway where we’re talking there is, I would want to say absolutely none, but there are very few if any metal culverts and the metal culverts are the ones that corrode that is difficult to assess underground. We have mainly concrete culverts in that area.”

Henderson did say that if there is more than a foot of water on any part of the highway it will be closed to small vehicles.