Accidents & Disasters

The National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) is the primary government agency responding to natural disasters and distributing humanitarian aid following the aftermath of events like a hurricane. In areas like Ambergris Caye, supplies sometimes need to be transported from the mainland, which can take additional time. Area Representative Honorable Andre Perez shared that proactive measures are being taken to address this inconvenience. Containers are being secured for both Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye to house emergency equipment and supplies. Perez said this is a temporary plan as the main goal is to build or find a structure to operate as a permanent NEMO warehouse on Ambergris Caye.

Following an unfortunate incident in which a shark severely injured a 15-year-old American student visiting from Colorado while on a scuba diving trip in Belize, the family has launched a GoFundMe page, https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-annabelles-brave-recovery-journey. The unimaginable encounter happened on August 6th off Half Moon Caye when the teenager, after completing her dive, decided to jump back in the water for a swim. Even though she was immediately assisted by tour company members and taken to a Belize Coast Guard base, other divers partaking in the trip noted a lack of appropriate resources when handling such emergencies. To be better prepared, they urge more training for the staff handling the tours and recommend getting a better first aid kit.

On Tuesday, August 6, 2024, an incident occurred in which a 15-year-old American tourist, was attacked by a shark while participating in a dive tour at Half Moon Caye in the Lighthouse Reef Atoll. This unfortunate event occurred at approximately 11:30AM when the minor re-entered the sea after a dive.

The recent death of 68-year-old American tourist Robert Monroe Hughes while on a diving tour off San Pedro, Ambergris Caye's coast on June 14th, has left many still searching for answers. While no postmortem reports were shared, the police briefly reported that no foul play was suspected, and no abnormalities were found in the diving equipment. Since the incident, some tour operators have weighed in, emphasizing that safety is a top priority when taking guests on a diving tour.

On Wednesday, July 24th, a search team composed of the San Pedro Police Formation, the Belize Coast Guard, Rickilee Response and Rescue (RRR), and other volunteers headed to Secret Beach just after 8PM following reports of a missing Belizean couple who had been on a jet ski. They were last seen on the jet ski around 4:45PM. Against the odds of darkness, the rescue team was able to locate the couple and bring them to safety. Both were taken for medical evaluation and were reported to be in good health.

On Friday morning, July 5th, Hurricane Beryl landed as a Category 2 storm over the Mexican Caribbean coast, affecting coastal communities like Tulum and Playa del Carmen. The storm did not affect Belize, where a Tropical Storm Warning was issued for the northern portion of the country, including the Cayes. On Friday morning, the Government of Belize gave the all-clear, and discussions have started to see how they can help our counterparts in the Caribbean, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada, who were devastated by the weather system.

While Hurricane Beryl is not expected to hit Belize directly, the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) opened shelters in San Pedro Town and Caye Caulker on Thursday, July 4th. The shelters opened at 4 PM, with one in Caye Caulker at the Roman Catholic School and the Sagebrush Church and St. John Paul Youth Center (only for persons with disabilities) in San Pedro. If anyone needs to use the shelters in San Pedro, they can contact NEMO at 226-4824 or 614-5865 and 611-6603 in Caye Caulker.

In this time of uncertainty, as dangerous Hurricane Beryl approaches landfall near northern Belize, the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) shared some preparedness guidelines. These guidelines are not limited to the current hurricane hurtling across the Caribbean but for the remainder of the 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season.