BELIZE - HURRICANE RICHARD DOES LIGHT DAMAGE.

HURRICANE RICHARD SWEEPS THROUGH CENTRAL PART OF BELIZE, THE HEAVIEST POPULATED AREA AND FARMING & INDUSTRIAL BELT.

Landing in Belize on Monday afternoon, Hurricane Richard struck South of the port of Belize City with a storm surge and as a low level 2 Hurricane. The hurricane knocked out electricity, water and BTL internet communications. SMART communications both cell phones and modem operated internet continued to work through the hours of the catastrophe. BTL the biggest communications network failed for more than 18 hours, when it was most needed.
Around Roaring Creek, a report was received that many large old trees were knocked down by the storm. This is in the vicinity of Belmopan. A tree fell on a cage holding a wild Jaguar for a film crew and when it escaped it killed the nearest man. A Mr. Cullerton. So far, this is the only human dead because of the hurricane.
By the time the Hurricane reached the Western Twin Towns, the wind force fell to a Category 1 Hurricane and the heaviest populated area in Central and Western corridor felt the Hurricane for about 3 hours. Relatively speaking the damage was light. Trees , branches, a few zincs were damaged. Down in the port things were slightly more damaging, as they lost a lot of advertising signs and some electrical shorts were experienced. The eye of the hurricane is believed to have passed over the Belize Alps around the Hummingbird Highway, Stann Creek Valley near Gales Point and into the Maya Mountain Pine ridge. The northern edge of the hurricane is what was experienced running Westward along the industrial corridor and most heavily populated area.