An area of disturbed weather in North and Central America and the western Caribbean continues to keep things very wet and flooded especially in the Toledo District where over five inches of rain fell overnight. The rains have been taking a toll on the families who reside in Crique Sarco, the most southern village in the Toledo District, which is tonight inaccessible by road. One institution that has been keeping tabs on what is unfolding in Crique Sarco is the Sarstoon Temash Institute of Indigenous Management, SATIIM which works with the community that buffers the Sarstoon Temash National Park.
Today SATIIM’s Executive Director Gregory Ch’oc spoke to 7NEWS by phone. According to Ch’oc the rains have flooded the only road that leads into the village and the only way of accessing the community is by boat. Ch’oc says the Temash River which runs through the village is now twelve feet above its bank and a number of homes are underwater. Families had to be evacuated and they are also in urgent need of food and water.
Gregory Ch’oc, Executive Director – SATIIM
“The only access has been by the river, the Temash River. So it is the Temash River that is flooded. Coming up, the Temash River was extremely difficult to navigate. The bank coming up, at least two miles from the village, is at least 12 feet above the bank of the Temash River. So we were actually manoeuvring above the canopy of the forest in the vicinity of the village. We completed a meeting with the Alcalde and the Chairman of the Village and we found that 23 individuals were affected. This is seven families.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
Did they need to evacuate?
Gregory Ch’oc,
“Yes they have been evacuated by the leaders of the village to higher ground and they are currently living with relatives. Their house is completely submerged under water. It is like a lagoon out here. The immediate need of the community is water. There is a rudimentary water system in Crique Sarco however the flood broke open a couple of the pipes and to repair that is difficult at this time because it is still submerged under water. Food as well for the seven families that are affected, they managed to rescue some of their stuff which is now housed in some of the public buildings here, the kindergarten and the school. However the families, some of them have moved into higher grounds with relatives.
The Alcalde and the Chairman have requested support for food and water for those affected.”
And it is very likely that more flooding will occur as more rain is predicted. Rains that fell overnight include over five inches in the Toledo District, three inches in La Democracia in the Cayo District, two inches in the Stann Creek District and an equal amount in the Belize District. According to acting Chief Meteorologist Ramon Frutos, a tropical wave forecast to affect Belize Tuesday night into Wednesday morning will keep conditions very wet.
