BDF Joins Efforts to Assist Flood-Stricken Villages in Orange Walk

Members of the Belize Defence Force (BDF) have been deployed to the Orange Walk District to assist residents from two communities impacted by flooding. Today, the BDF joined forces with the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) to transport students, public officers, and other residents through the flooded areas in San Antonio and San Roman Villages. BDF Chief of Staff, Major Roberta Usher, says that operations began last week and will continue until the flood situation improves.

Major Roberta Usher, Chief of Staff, Belize Defence Force: “The recent heavy rainfall the Rio Hondo River has been rising rapidly and these areas are currently above like three feet of water above the road making it impassable for smaller vehicles and NEMO has activated disaster relief and assistance and BDF actively supports NEMO in these endeavors. So for this one in San Roman / San Antonio where the smaller vehicles can’t pass the battalion which is in that location so currently we have India Company from the second infantry battalion actively supporting NEMO’s cause by providing essential transport services. Our HINO trucks are high enough to pass the three feet of water and we’re providing these services to the residents particularly the students, teachers and the public workers who need to travel daily through the flooded areas. We provide them in the morning and in the evening to get them out and take them back in, just support NEMO in its endeavor until the water levels get to where vehicles can pass. For this particular one we started on the 24th of October when the levels were rising and we will continue to operate until the low level vehicles can pass which is an amount but currently no it’s about three feet and they can’t pass so we’ll just continue it until the levels go down. But this particular operation in San Antonio around the 24th of October.”

The National Hydrological Service reports that the flooding is due to recent excessive rains. Principal Hydrologist Tennille Hendy explains that the situation is compounded by the fact that floodwaters from the Rio Hondo do not quickly recede.

Hendy notes that it is unclear how long the flooding will persist.