Accidents & Disasters
U.S. Government coordinates with UNICEF Belize, National Emergency Management Organization and Belize Red Cross on joint emergency response to COVID-19 and Hurricane Eta
In a ceremony today at the San Ignacio Town Council Hall, U.S. Embassy Belmopan and its implementing partner UNICEF handed over emergency response kits to Belize’s National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) and the Belize Red Cross. These kits were purchased through an ongoing $300,000 United States Agency for International Development (USAID) grant to UNICEF launched in August to assist UNICEF in its work to reduce the risk and impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable children and adolescents in Belize. These kits – which include food and hygiene items – will be distributed to 354 families from regions in the Cayo District that were most severely impacted by flooding from Hurricanes Eta and Iota.
Accidents & Disasters
The Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) Donates to Belize’s Flood Repair Efforts
On December 2, 2020, H.E. Remus Li-Kuo Chen, Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to Belize, presented a grant in the sum of US$100,000 to assist Belize in the repair of flood damage caused by the passage of Hurricanes Eta and Iota. The donation was received by Hon. Christopher Coye, Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment.
Accidents & Disasters
Travis Gates Missing at Sea
On Tuesday, November 24th the sailboat belonging to Travis Gates was found "on anchor" at the north tip of Cabo Tres Puntas, Guatemala, with nobody on board. Both Gates and the sailboat's dinghy were missing and after days of exhaustive searching Gates has yet to be found.
Accidents & Disasters
Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture Visit Flood-Affected Villages
On Thursday, November 19th, 2020, the Prime Minister Hon. John Briceno, and Hon. Jose Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise, visited Maypen Village in the Belize District to get a firsthand look at the situation involving cattle rescue due to flooding.
Accidents & Disasters
Treatment of Drinking Water During Flooding Events
As Belize continues to experience heavy rains due to the passing of Tropical Depression Eta, many residents have been experiencing flooding. It is anticipated that due to the flooding in some areas, drinking water sources may have become contaminated leaving it unsafe to drink and requiring treatment.
Accidents & Disasters
San Pedro Fire Department’s quick response prevents tragedy in San Juan Subdivision
A fire on the ground floor of a three-story wooden building was quickly contained by the San Pedro Fire Department (SPFD) on Friday, October 16th in the San Juan Area. No one was injured in the blaze, but everything inside the apartment was destroyed. The Officer in Charge at SPFD, Gladstone Bucknor, stated that they responded to the fire at 11:35AM, and extinguished the blaze ten minutes after. He said that because the building has three floors and the fire was on the ground level, there was a risk the building could collapse. Another concern was the risk of fire spreading to other homes nearby, causing a major inferno.
Accidents & Disasters
Mexican Navy Vessel experiences mechanical problems in front of Ambergris Caye
The foreign military vessel apparently experienced mechanical failure as they were exiting a channel to the open sea while bound north to Mexico. They did not run aground on the reef as rumored.
Accidents & Disasters
BEL Prepares for Approaching Tropical Storm Nana
As a part of BEL’s Hurricane Preparedness Plan, we are monitoring the weather and taking all necessary measures to maintain continuous, safe and reliable service to customers, where possible. The Company is mobilizing its people, resources and equipment to ensure that we are prepared to assess and recover from any impacts of the approaching storm.