As the powerful Hurricane Beryl moves west-northwest across the Caribbean Sea at 22 miles per hour, a tropical storm warning has been issued from Belize City to the northern border with Mexico, including the Cayes. People on San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, and Caye Caulker have been preparing for the storm. They are securing their properties, and some voluntarily evacuate to the mainland. Tourists are also leaving the island as local airlines and water taxi companies are expected to pause their services at the end of the day on Wednesday, July 3rd.
The National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) advises people in San Pedro, Caye Caulker, the Corozal, and Orange Walk Districts to monitor the storm closely. NEMO has declared the preliminary phase of the National Hurricane Response Plan, indicating a system in the area that may threaten the country within the next 72 hours. A red flag is flown at signal centers, symbolizing this first stage.
The latest update from the National Meteorological Service of Belize and NEMO suggests that Hurricane Beryl is sustaining maximum winds of 155 miles per hour. The major hurricane will continue its west-northwest track for the next 24 to 36 hours.
In San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye, the local airport has seen increased traffic as residents and tourists leave the island. Some are voluntarily evacuating using water taxi services. While the current track shows Hurricane Beryl making landfall in the Mexican Yucatan Peninsula, some residents prefer to leave Ambergris Caye as they believe the island may not be the safest place. Others stock up on supplies and secure their homes, while some business owners secure their properties with plywood. Restaurateurs and hoteliers along the beach have begun preparations as well.
The San Pedro Town Council, the local NEMO branch, and the office of Area Representative Honorable Andre Perez monitor Beryl and advise residents to remain calm and follow official sources. Transportation services to and from the islands via air will be suspended on Wednesday at the end of the day. Water taxis operating between San Pedro and Belize City will suspend runs after 3PM. Atlantic Bank will close at noon and Belize Bank at 1PM. Governmental offices will close by midday. The SPTC issued a note restricting the movement of trucks through the downtown area after 1PM on Tuesday, which includes delivery trucks, flatbeds, sand, and dump trucks.
If the system continues its current trajectory, it could land anywhere from northern Belize to the north tip of the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico late Thursday night into early Friday morning. By then, Beryl should be downgraded to Category 1. The impact on the country will be heavy rainfall and tropical-storm-force winds in the northern parts of Belize.
Residents are advised to continue monitoring the system very closely and to follow official sources like NEMO and the National Meteorological Service of Belize for information. For persons needing assistance from the local NEMO representative, contact 226-4821 or 614-5865.
