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Hurricane Lisa was a rare November storm - and for all the damage she wreaked - we hope we never see another like that. The eye of the storm made landfall at 3:20 pm on Wednesday about 10 miles southwest of Belize City with winds of 85 miles per hour. And for about 7 hours after that she tore through Belize on an east west path. The damage was worst in the city, since the strongest winds at the north of the storm pounded this town. Tonight tens of thousands of city residents are without light and water - and we'll have that latest on when you can expect utility services to be restored shortly. But first, how did we get here in the first place? Courtney Menzies put together some of the most striking images:
Lisa was a category 1 hurricane that roared into Belize with a vengeance.
Its winds were strong enough to literally blow the roofs off buildings - like this one inside the Pallotti High School Compound where the roof seemed to come alive and become weaponized, hurtling towards the moving car, or this grocery store on Blue Marlin Boulevard, and even the roof off Sister Cecelia Home for the Elderly went flying in a single gasp.
The winds even toppled smaller airplanes at the PGIA, and sent a container crashing on top of cars.
And while it was zinc roofs and lampposts that got the brunt of the wind, the city's streets were inundated as waves overcame the seawalls. The water gushed into nearby streets, flowing over the Belize sign, and turning Digi park into an extension of the sea - nearly covering its booths and benches.
And after the winds finally subsided around 8:30 last night, residents assessed damage to their ceilings and floors, and all they could do was begin to pick up the pieces and start the cleaning process.
And the repair process, as hammers slammed down on nails to ensure that by tonight, there is at least a semblance of a roof to keep those living inside safe and dry.
But the aftermath was more than just a couple raised roofs... trees pulled out of the soil they stood, strewn across the roads, pulling down wires as they fell.
Lampposts left leaning, zinc sheets tangled in wires, like the most dangerous clothesline you've ever seen - a signpost for a city left without electricity.
There were also mangled metal signs bent in half... some posts snapped like twigs - after storm waters swamped Marine Parade.
Channel 5's self supporting tower teetered in the heavy winds, and when it could no longer support itself, came crashing down on the building behind it.
And Fort Street Tourism Village had no cruisers today, only this lone dog, looking for somewhere dry and warm.
And in a city whose streets are now filled with mud, trees, and debris, with rooftops still on the ground, all that's left now is for city residents to start to rebuild what Lisa destroyed.
