MORE RAIN COULD ADD TO FLOODING
The National Meteorological Service is forecasting more this week. Another tropical wave is expected to cross Belize by the end of the week. This will bring more rain, with the ground already saturated in many areas and rivers already high. More rain has already fallen in the Maya Mountains causing flooding along the Macal River. The water at Guacamallo Bridge in Cayo has also reportedly risen to four feet, while it is 15 feet above the top of the Mollejon Hydroelectric facility. Residents in San Ignacio Town are asked to take heed as the wooden bridge is now under 6 feet of water. Traffic is rerouted across the Hawkesworth Bridge. The lower reaches of the Belize River continue to rise. The Baking Pot and Young Bank Ferries are closed, and the More Tomorrow bridge is under water and closed to the public. A six inch rise was reported at Double Run, and the Crooked Tree lagoon rose two feet over the weekend. In the Toledo District, Blue Creek, Moho River, Deep River,!
and Golden Stream Bridges remain flooded. In Monkey River, the three bridges have reportedly been washed away and the road is impassable. The Rio Blanco Road is also closed and the Jordan Causeway is under two feet of water. North Stann Creek at Melinda Forest Station has risen, and flooding is reported in the Benguche area of Dangriga Town. The Sibun at Caves Branch rose by nine feet Monday morning, and one longtime resident of the Sibun River Valley reports ‘the worst flooding in a hundred years’. Flooding is also reported in the Corozal District. Areas affected include Libertad, Concepcion, Santa Clara, San Roman, and Louisville. Our Northern Correspondent Manuela Ayuso has informed us that certain sections of the Northern Highway between Corozal Town and the Northern Border remain flooded.

High water continues to disrupt nation


As predicted, rains continue to inundate much of the
country today to cause floods, threaten property and
hinder travel on major highways. According to the
Ministry of Works, the following roads and bridges
remain closed tonight.


In the Toledo District, while the Southern Highway is
open, the Jordan Bridge is still closed. Villagers of
Pueblo Viejo are still cut off from the rest of the
country by the floodwaters. In Barranco the road is
impassable and the Aguacate Road is closed because
the causeway is flooded. At Monkey River, the mile six
culvert has washed away rendering the road
impassable. However, the Rio Blanco Bridge has been
repaired and is tonight open to the public.


In the Cayo District, the Tambos and Frank Eddy roads
are closed, as are the Baking Pot and Young Bank
ferries. The More Tomorrow Bridge is not open to
traffic; Iguana Creek Bridge is under two feet of water,
and the wooden bridge between San Ignacio and
Santa Elena is still submerged.


In the Belize District, the Coastal Highway is
impassable and the eastern approach to the Rancho
Dolores Bridge is under four and a half feet of water.
Those who wish to cross at Rancho Dolores have to do
so by boat.


Meanwhile, officials from the Ministry of Works tell
News 5 that waters running beneath the Beaver Dam
Bridge receded today, but engineers continue to
monitor the bridge. If water levels continue to fall the
underwater concreting, postponed because of
Tuesday's flash flood, will be scheduled for tomorrow
night. According to Chief Engineer Cadet Henderson,
tonight all categories of vehicles are being allowed to
cross the bridge, but only on the left side of the
structure. Motorists are asked to pay keen attention to
the many barriers and signs posted along the road and
near the bridge, drive across slowly and keep at least
one car-length between vehicles crossing.


In other news from the Ministry of Works, motorists
travelling on the Hummingbird Highway might have
noticed several pieces of a bridge in the river at mile
twenty. According to Henderson, demolition experts
demolished the bridge today as it had previously
posed peril to residents of the area, who used it for
recreation despite its rundown condition. The structure
was originally built in 1907 as part of the railway and
adapted for vehicular traffic in 1938. The replacement
bridge used by motorists today was built in 1992.
Henderson says a similar exercise took place along the
Hummingbird at mile seven earlier this month. The
project is a joint operation between the U.S. Army,
the Belize Defence Force and the Ministry of Works.

any word on how Ian at Cave's Branch is doing?