AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums Talk Belize Weather Tropical Storms & Hurricanes Hurricane Richard

Facebook video, taken just before sunset in San Pedro by the Ambergris Today:

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1559943612348

Oct 24, 9:38 PM EDT
Hurricane Richard makes landfall in Belize

By PATRICK E. JONES
Associated Press Writer

BELIZE CITY (AP) -- Hurricane Richard slammed into Belize's Caribbean coast just south of its largest city late Sunday, as authorities evacuated tourists from outlying islands and an estimated 10,000 people took refuge at shelters in the tiny Central American nation.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Richard's top winds were 90 mph (150 kph) - making it a Category 1 hurricane - when it made landfall about 20 miles (35 kms) south-southwest of Belize City, whose neighborhoods are full of wooden, tin-roof homes that are very vulnerable to winds.

"The winds are very strong ... it's getting stronger," said Fanny Llanos, a clerk at the Lazy Iguana bed and Breakfast on Caye Caulker, a low-lying island known for its coral reefs and crystal-clear waters, located just offshore from Belize City.

Llanos said that palm trees were bending over in the wind and it had become very noisy.

"All the windows are boarded, and this is a strong house so we will be here," she said, "but we are still afraid."

Richard was moving west-northwest at about 10 mph (17 kph), and hurricane-force winds extended up to 15 miles (30 kms) from its center.

Belize City was devastated by Hurricane Hattie in 1961, prompting officials to move the capital inland to Belmopan. But Belize City is still the nation's largest population center, with about 100,000 inhabitants - a third of the country's population.

Official estimated that about 10,000 people had taken refuge at storm shelters in schools and churches located farther inland, including many in the capital, Belmopan.

Tourists had already been evacuated from Caye Caulker and nearby Ambergris Caye, but some local residents decided to ride out the storm.

Rafael Marin, the caretaker at the Anchorage Resort hotel, said strong gusts of wind were already hitting the island and its normally calm waters were being whipped into 3-foot (1-meter) waves lapping at the island's docks.

"We already boarded up everything, and we already got everything - office equipment and everything - stored in a safe place," Marin said. "We got all the tourists out, and get the whole place secured down."

But like Marin planned to ride out the storm in the three-story hotel. He said he expected only some beach erosion and minor damage to homes, noting the island has been hit by more powerful storms in the past.

"The local people are advised to evacuate on their own, voluntarily," Marin said. "It's not really major, like a Category 3" hurricane.

Officials warned people living in flimsy homes or low-lying areas to evacuate, and shelters at schools and other public buildings began filling up.

The National Emergency Management Organization also urged merchants not to raise prices for people who rushed to stores to stock up on basic necessities as the hurricane approached.

Earlier, Richard dumped heavy rains on Honduras' Caribbean coast and the Bay Islands, including Roatan, which is popular with tourists and divers.

Observers reported winds of up to 58 mph (93 kph) on Roatan, and more than 90 people took refuge in shelters in the Bay Islands, which lie between Honduras and Belize.

Lisandro Rosales, the head of Honduras' Permanent Emergency Commission, said no deaths or injuries had been reported in Honduras so far.

But Richard's heavy rains did cause a landslide that blocked a highway in northern Colon province, cutting off about 15,000 residents in 40 small towns. Crews were working to clear the road.

Mexico issued a hurricane watch for its southern Caribbean coast, and while Richard is expected to cross over the Yucatan peninsula and re-emerge in the Gulf of Mexico, forecasters said it is likely to weaken and dissipate over Gulf waters.

Authorities said dangerous floods and mudslides were still possible in Honduras and declared states of maximum alert in four coastal provinces.

Hi Everyone, I am in Jamaica and is presently monitoring KREMS RADIO. Please keep safe during Huricane Richards passage across the country tonight. There are already several reports of major damage to infrastructure.

from Caye Caulker....

Landfall was 22 miles north of Dangriga. Its 8 p.m. now and the wind is still coming directly from the east. Soon it will start to swing around to the southeast and then the south. I think the worst will be over by midnight.

Not much happening in Corozal Town yet. 8:30PM Belize Time
We are sitting at the open air Restaurant/Bar with a cold Belikin and having supper with candles on all tables.
Hopefully it stays like this.

HURRICANE RICHARD ADVISORY NUMBER 17
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL192010
1000 PM CDT SUN OCT 24 2010

...EYE OF RICHARD PASSING THROUGH CENTRAL BELIZE...


SUMMARY OF 1000 PM CDT...0300 UTC...INFORMATION
-----------------------------------------------
LOCATION...17.3N 88.6W
ABOUT 15 MI...20 KM E OF BELMOPAN BELIZE
ABOUT 30 MI...50 KM WSW OF BELIZE CITY
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...90 MPH...150 KM/HR
PRESENT MOVEMENT...WNW OR 285 DEGREES AT 9 MPH...15 KM/HR
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...981 MB...28.97 INCHES

------------------------------
AT 1000 PM CDT...0300 UTC...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE RICHARD WAS
LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 17.3 NORTH...LONGITUDE 88.6 WEST. RICHARD IS
MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 9 MPH...15 KM/HR. ON THE
FORECAST TRACK...THE CENTER OF RICHARD WILL MOVE ACROSS CENTRAL
BELIZE OVERNIGHT AND INTO NORTHERN GUATEMALA EARLY MONDAY. RICHARD
IS FORECAST TO MOVE ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHEASTERN MEXICO AND INTO
THE EXTREME SOUTHERN GULF OF MEXICO MONDAY NIGHT OR EARLY TUESDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 90 MPH...150 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. RICHARD IS A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON
HURRICANE WIND SCALE. STEADY WEAKENING IS EXPECTED AS RICHARD MOVES
FURTHER INLAND.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 15 MILES...30 KM...FROM
THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 105
MILES...165 KM. A WIND GUST TO 62 MPH...100 KM/HR...WAS RECENTLY
REPORTED AT THE OFFICIAL OBSERVING SITE IN BELIZE CITY.

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 981 MB...28.97 INCHES.

HURRICANE RICHARD DISCUSSION NUMBER 17
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL192010
1000 PM CDT SUN OCT 24 2010

RADAR DATA FROM BELIZE INDICATE THAT RICHARD MADE LANDFALL AROUND
0045 UTC ABOUT 20 N MI SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF BELIZE CITY. THE EYE
ACTUALLY BECAME BETTER DEFINED IN INFRARED SATELLITE IMAGERY AFTER
LANDFALL...AND IT DOES NOT YET APPEAR THAT RICHARD HAS BEGUN TO
WEAKEN. STEADY WEAKENING SHOULD BEGIN VERY SOON AS THE CYCLONE
MOVES FURTHER INLAND.

Video of Hurricane Richard that was about to make landfall in Belize in an hour time. This video was shot on the island of San Pedro, Ambergris Caye at Las Terrazas Resort & Residence. No Damage happened at the resort.

Maurice Bol works at a resort on San Pedro island as Hurrican Richard came ashore. He says he saw swells in excess of one meter at the dock where he shot the footage.

From a friend...

Nothing in Corozal, last report they were sitting outside sipping on beer.

In Belize City, Two Houses have fallen because of Hurricane Richard, one on elston kerr street and the other at the corner of mex avenue and east collet canal. Some flooding is visible.

Great reporting Marty. Thank you.
I'm sure its very much appreciated by all of us

Thanks for the report, Marty.
My daugther and grandson live on Caye Caulker, wonder how they do. No access to Internet from their home...