NEMO Relief Activities Update-June 4,2008

Weather Update
An airflow over the northwestern area of Belize continues to create moist conditions and outbreaks of showers and a few thunder storms are expected over tonight thru tomorrow.
No major change is expected for Friday.
Water levels in the Rio Hondo continue to rise slowly and is encroaching on villages including Douglas, San Victor, San Roman and others.
Water level in the New River continue steady but many low lying areas remain flooded including Calidonia, San Estevan and other nearby community.
Communities along the Belize River Valley will be experiencing a rise in the Belize River within the next 24 hour and people should closely monitor the water levels.  These communities include:
1.      Grace Bank
2.      Flowers Bank
3.      Isabella Bank
4.      Bermudan Landing
5.      St. Pauls
6.      Double Head Cabbage
7.      Willows Bank
8.      Crooked Tree
9.      Dolores
10. Lemonal
11. Rancho
12. Scotland Halfmoon
13. Burrell Boom
14. Lords Bank
15. Ladyville
16. May Pen
 
Other communities in the Belize District which should also continue monitoring the river water levels are Maskall and other communities along the Old Northern Highway.
On the Sibun River a flood wave is moving toward the Freetown Sibun community and residents should be aware of the possibility of flooding.
Water in the Sittee River is receding. 
Water levels in Swasey and Bladden branches of the Monkey River, Deep River and Golden Stream are falling slowly.  The same is happening in the Moho River at Blue Creek and Jordan of the Toledo District.
Shelters
The Housing and Shelter Committee’s main objective is to restore normalcy to the lives of people in the affected communities with all efforts concentrated in getting them back into their homes. 
 
The following shelters are open:
 
Orange Walk District
San Pablo
Orange Walk Multipurpose building
San Estevan School
 
Belize District
Hattieville Seventh Day Adventist Church
Hattieville Seventh Day Adventist Primary School
 
Stann Creek
ITVET
Pomona Community Center
 
Relief
NEMO is conducting relief efforts in Sittee River, Gales Point and Mullins River in the southern part of Belize.  Social Workers were air lifted along with the first wave of relief supplies since yesterday.  Supplementary supplies are currently going into these areas.
In the north, the Relief supplies Committee are working in the San Roman, Santa Cruz and San Antonio communities.  Supplies are boated into these areas since the communities are cut off due to flooding over the road.
Supplies have also been sent to Douglas and Carmelita.
Currently efforts are underway for the repositioning of relief stocks at the three NEMO warehouses, Ladyville, Belmopan and Independence in anticipation of continued flooding.
NEMO is asking members of the public who are willing to donate children clothing for ages birth to thirteen, household items, mattresses and toiletries to take their donation to the nearest Red Cross Station.
NEMO commits to keeping the nation inform of further developments and improvements as the work continues to normalize the lives of all those affected by the flooding.

Hydrological Update on Belize Floods-June 5,200, 06:00 am
By NEMO Information Unit
SYNOPSIS:

THE SATELLITE LOOP A LINE OF MOSTLY LAYERED CLOUDS EXTENDED FROM SOUTHERN YUCATAN PENINSULA SOUTHEAST ACROSS CENTRAL BELIZE TO THE COASTAL WATERS EAST OF DANGRIGA.A CLUSTER OF DISSIPATING CONVECTION WAS NOTED JUST EAST OF THE COASTAL WATERS OF DANGRIGA AT 4:45AM (1045UTC).

THE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR THURSDAY IS FOR CLOUDY SKIES WITH A FEW SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORM MAINLY OVER COASTAL WATERS AND THE NORTHERN DISTRICTS, WITH ESTIMATED ACCUMULATIONS OF 20-40mm

ON FRIDAY WE CAN EXPECT CLOUDY SKIES WITH SUNNY PERIODS AND RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 20-40mm, MAINLY IN THE NORTH, CENTRAL AND COASTAL AREAS.

SATURDAY WILL TURN OUT MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH SLIGHTLY MORE SHOWERS ESPECIALLY OVER NORTHERN AND CENTRAL AREAS, WHERE ACCUMALUATION OF 30-40mm WILL OCCUR.

A TROPICAL WAVE WITH ONLY WEAK SIGNATURE AT THE LOW LEVELS WILL REACH BELIZE ON FRIDAY, RESULTING IN LITTLE CHANGE IN THE WEATHER.

A FLOOD WAVE IS ALREADY MAKING ITS WAY DOWN THE LOWER BELIZE RIVER VALLEY DOWNSTREAM OF BIG FALLS TONIGHT.

STATE OF THE RIVERS AND WATER WAYS ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON (June 4, 2008):

FLOOD WATERS HAVE RECEDED FROM GALES POINT EXCEPT IN THE NORTHERN SECTION. LAGOON REMAINS ABOVE FLOOD LEVEL,BUT STEADY.

THE RIO HONDO AND THE NEW RIVER CONTINUES TO RISE SLOWLY. RIVER LEVELS CONTINUE TO ENCROACH ON THE VILLAGE BOUNDARIES IN DOUGLAS AND SAN VICTOR VILLAGES. THIS ENCROACHMENT IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE SLOWLY THROUGH THURSDAY.

THE NEW AT TOWER HILL AND CALEDONIA REMAIN IN FLOOD STAGE. AT TOWER HILL LEVELS HAVE PEAKED AND ARE NOW FALLING AND WILL REMAIN IN FLOOD STAGE THROUGH THURSDAY. AT CALEDONIA RIVER LEVELS WILL REMAIN IN FLOOD STAGE THROUGH THURSDAY.

RESERVOIR LEVEL AT CHALILLO REMAINS BELOW SPILLWAY. AT MOLLEJON RIVER LEVELS ARE ABOVE THE SPILLWAY. AT SAN IGNACIO RIVER LEVELS ARE ABOVE THE LOW LEVEL BRIDGE AND RISING, HOWEVER THIS LEVEL IS EXPECTED TO FALL BELOW THIS BRIDGE BY THURSDAY MORNING.

THE MOPAN RIVER IS IN FLOOD STAGE AND IS ONCE AGAIN INCREASING. THE IGUANA CREEK BRIDGE IS NOW UNDER 3 FEET OF WATER AND RIVER LEVELS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE to INCREASE SLOWLY THROUGH THURSDAY. THE CROOKED TREE LAGOON LEVELS HAVE PEAKED AND REMAIN BELOW THE CAUSEWAY. LAGOON LEVELS ARE EXPECTED TO BEGIN TO RISE AGAIN EARLY THYURSDAY. LAGOON LEVELS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO EXCEED THE CAUSEWAY. RIVER LEVELS IN LOWER BELIZE RIVER, BELOW DOUBLE RUN, HAVE PEAKED AND A SLIGHT FALL IN LEVELS IS OCCURRING AT THIS MOMENT. LEVELS AT DOUBLE RUN ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE EARLY THURSDAY.

THE SIBUN RIVER IS IN FLOOD STAGE IN ITS UPPER REACHES AND FALLING. RIVER LEVELS NEAR GRACIE ROCK VILLAGE REMAIN BELOW THE BANKS AND RISING SLOWLY BUT WILL NOT EXCEED THE BANKS. NEAR FREETOWN RIVER LEVELS ARE ABOUT PEAK AND IS EXPECTED TO FALL TO ABOVE NORMAL LEVELS THROUGH THURSDAY.

THE NORTH STANN CREEK AND ITS TRIBUTARIES REMAINS IN FLOOD STAGE. RIVER LEVELS WILL REMAIN ABOVE NORMAL LEVELS THROUGH THURSDAY.

THE SITTEE RIVER (KENDAL BRIDGE AREA) HAS RECEDED. HOWEVER IT REMAINS IN FLOOD STAGE. THIS RECESSION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH THURSDAY. THE SWASEY AND BLADEN BRANCHES OF THE MONKEY RIVER, THE DEEP RIVER, AND THE GOLDEN STREAM HAVE PEAKED AND ARE FALLING SLOWLY. LEVELS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN ABOVE NORMAL THROUGH THURSDAY.

THE MOHO RIVER IS ABOVE NORMAL AND FALLING AT BLUE CREEK AND NORMAL AND FALLING AT JORDAN. THE TEMASH AND SARSTOON REPORTED IN NORMAL AND STEADY RIVER LEVELS. THESE CONDITIONS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO CHANGE THROUGH THURSDAY.