And while the Coast Guard and other government agencies are working to deliver disaster aid to the flood victims, we turn now the countrywide overview.
On Saturday, Prime Minister Dean Barrow called a virtual press conference - his last in office - to outline the emergency response plan for the 30 thousand-plus Belizeans impacted by the Eta weather system.
Here's what he and representatives from the utility companies, had to say about the damage to infrastructure and property that resulted from the floods:
Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow - Outgoing Prime Minister
"We have been lashed over the past several days by monsoon-like rains to an extent not experienced in many years. In fact, I looked at the report that the NEMO coordinator has prepared for me, and he says to an extent not experienced in our lifetime. As a result, rising waters, rivers bursting their banks, submerged homes, yards, fields, pastures - even transmission lines and pumping stations - [are] utterly flooded."
John Mencias - CEO, BEL
"There were 3 main issues that we have experienced, and we continue to deal with. 1 is a major transmission line failure, the other, flooding in the service areas, of San Ignacio and Belmopan in particular, which have caused a safety risk, due to the rising water levels. And of course, also, we have been affected by the floods, our trucks and personnel have not been able to reach areas as quickly and as efficiently as during normal times. What happened - and unprecedented - is that our transmission lines run over the Iguana Creek, and there's about a 900-foot span of transmission line that runs over the Iguana Creek. And, there's about a 25 to 30-foot clearance between the top of the creek and our lines. And that was breached. The water rose up to the level of the lines and got in contact with the lines. We have never seen that before. These lines have been in place since 1995, which is 25 years. And obviously, that caused a major fault in the system. And so, we had to isolate out that portion of the transmission line."
Alvan Haynes - CEO, BWS
"We're pleased that generally, the service has not been interrupted in most areas, but the severe flooding, in the west, in particular, has caused some issues. And I'll start from the furthest west. There is a spring across the river in Benque, which in 2008, there was a line that crosses the river on a suspension arrangement, was washed away in 2008. We rebuilt it 10 feet higher than that flood-level - as far as we could tell - and these floods basically came, and rose above that height, and washed that structure and the line away. The estimated cost to replace is about $400,000 roughly."
Erro Gentle - CEO, Ministry of Works
"The major flooding has resulted in damages to the majority of our roads. In the Cayo District, Belize District, Stann Creek District, Toledo, and Orange Walk District. this time around, we were surprised because areas that have not been flooded have now come under floodwater. We have certain areas that are hotspots that we are monitoring. At the moment, we have the entrance to Benque, which is still impassable. The Calla Creek Village is underwater. The bridge there, what we call the hammock bridge, is underwater. It's impassable. We have the low-lying bridge in San Ignacio, fully submerged. San Ignacio Town, in the area of the Welcome Center, underwater. We have the Baking Pot Ferry that is not being used because of the flood conditions. The Iguana Creek bridge is also impassable. On the Bullet Tree Road, the Bullet Tree Bridge is underwater, and also, the Valley of Peace Bridge, which makes the Spanish Lookout area completely cut off."
