As anyone
living in Belize will tell anyone contemplating travel to the
land by the Craibe Sea, July represents the third month of the
annual hurricane season. From May 15 through November 30 each
year, the likelihood of a hurricane forming is at its highest
level. In May, a tropical cyclone formed in the Pacific and was
later upgraded to become the seasons first hurricane, Hurricane
Adrian. By the time it made landfall in El Salvador is was downgraded
but still had devastating effects for many in its path.
According to the National
Hurricane Center the lack of awareness and preparation are
the "common threads among all major hurricane disasters".
The NHC advises that by understanding what actions to take,
those caught in the path of an oncoming hurricane can greatly
increase their chances of survival. Although the hurricane itself
poises great risk, storm surge, high winds, tornadoes and flooding
are also major hazards one must be ready to contend with, to
survive a major hurricane.
The Saffir-Simpson
Hurricane Damage Potential Scale rates a hurricane on a
one to five rating system.
category |
wind speed in miles per hour |
storm surge in feet |
1 |
74 to 95 |
4 to 5 |
2 |
96 to 110 |
6 to 8 |
3 |
111 to 130 |
9 to 12 |
4 |
131 to 155 |
13 to 18 |
5 |
155 and above |
18 and more |
The history of Belize has been a story of hurricanes over
the years. In 1931 Belize City was destroyed and over one thousand
people are reported to have been killed. It was a primary reason
the capital was moved inland to its current location in Belmopan.
In 2000, Hurricane Keith battered Belize between September
30th and October 3rd. Most of the damage was dealt to Ambergris
Caye and Caye Caulker. Then on October 8, 2001, as the world
focused it's attention to the attacks on Newy York City, Washington
and Pennsylvania in the USA, Belize had to deal with the aftermath
of Hurricane Iris. Iris was a category 4 hurricane that came
ashore packing winds in excess of 145 miles per hour and a storm
surge of over 18 feet. When the storm departed, Placencia Village
and Monkey River Town lay in ruin. The dive boat Wave Dancer
was flipped over and more than fifteen divers from Richmond,
Virginia, perished. (see Edition
04 of BELIZEmagazine.com)
Further south in the Maya villages of the Toledo District,
the inhabitants too were in dire straits. A report by www.Plenty.org
reflects that 204 houses in the village of San Pedro Columbia
were completely destroyed. Six of the 56 schools in the Toledo
District were destroyed. The villages of Indian Creek, the Dump,
San Marcos and Laguna sustained major damage. The villages of
Big Falls and Silver Creek were nearly flattened. In all, some
10,000 people in the Toledo District were left homeless.
All said, when it comes to Belize and her history of dealing
with hurricanes, it becomes obvious that she and her people
are resilient. Time and time again the people of Belize have
been knocked to their knees, only to rise up from the ruble
to stand tall for another day.