Belizeans in Florida Brace for Hurricane Milton as Storm Approaches

The Consulate of Belize in Florida is advising Belizeans living in the state to brace for the impacts of Hurricane Milton. While thousands of people have fled the state, dozens of others including Belizeans are preparing to weather the category five storm. Milton comes less than two weeks after residents were battered by Hurricane Helene.  Milton is expected to make landfall tomorrow evening producing torrential rains and strong winds. Most of the state has declared a state of emergency, and the Belize Consulate is advising Belizeans to take heed and visit a shelter if necessary.  Among the dozens battening down for the storm is playwright Ray Gongora, who has lived in South Florida for thirty years. Love News spoke to Gongora about the preparations and how Belizeans living in the state are working together to help those in need. 

Ray Gongora, Belizean Living in Florida: “There are a lot of Belizeans in Naples, Orlando, Fort Meyers and these Belizeans will be heavily impacted by this hurricane Milton. I have spoken to several Belizeans, they are heading this call , they’re listening to the mayors, to the governor and some of them are evacuating because they live right on the coast and they’re joining other Belizean families that live inland so that’s one of the preparation that they’re making. As well as many areas are giving away free sand and bags basically what you need to do is to go there, you fill the bags yourself you take them home and people are using that to help with preventing water from getting into their house if it helps. It’s a mater of precaution so that including boarding up and using their shutters and the usual at this time is shopping, getting the necessary items that will serve for the purpose of in the event of outrage and transportation issues. This is a 175 miles an hour and we are very anxious, very concerned. Unlike what we’ve had before I can’t even recall but you know everybody is telling us no it is a monster and it is something that we have not experienced before so the anxiety is there, the uncertainty is there and because of that we are taking precautions.”

Our newsroom also spoke to Christine Jones, who lives twenty minutes from Tampa City, Florida. She explained that the storm has left many like herself preparing for the worst, as they expect up to 15 feet of storm surge.

Christine Jones, Florida Resident: “People are really taking this thing seriously just because of the predictions and because it’s supposed to be a direct hit to Tampa. It’s over a hundred years now since Tampa has had a direct hit. Usually the storms a lot of times they’re directed this way but they always shift last minute so all of the storms within recent years they kind of just end up shifting last minute and we don’t get a direct hit but so it looks like it’s gonna be direct this time. The stores are crazy. I did my grocery shopping a few days ago and the shelves were already bare but I had to make a quick run to Home Depot just now and just craziness. Everybody is trying to find something in particular and you know shelves clear out for this specific to hurricanes; generators some people are trying to buy that or just things to board up your house. So yeah no the stores are crazy but today it’s supposed to be the last day where they tell you if you need to get anything done today don’t wait for tomorrow. So I think a lot of procrastinators are out there trying to get it done.”

The consulate’s contact numbers in Florida can be found on its Facebook page.