Travel Alert – U.S. Embassy Belmopan, Belize (20-AUG-2020)
Location: Belize
Event: ADVISORY # 1: POTENTIAL TROPICAL CYCLONE DEVELOPMENT IN THE WESTERN CARIBBEAN
THURSDAY, 20TH AUGUST 2020 as at 10:00 a.m.
The National Meteorological Service (NMS) of Belize and the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) hereby advises the general public that the tropical front that is approaching has become better organized and is now accompanying a broad area of low pressure over the central Caribbean Sea.
The odds of development, as indicated by the national hurricane center, has increased to 90 percent indicating that this system is very likely to become a tropical depression, which can result in potential heavy rainfall and flooding, later today or tonight. Movement continue to the west but most of the models show a turn to the West-North West once the system reaches NE Honduras. This would suggest landfall on the Yucatan peninsula around Saturday evening. Regardless of development or whether a potential landfall occurs on the country, we need to be prepared for heavy rainfall and possible flooding. Please be on the alert and watch this system closely. The National Meteorological Service will continue to provide updates.
The public is advised to remain vigilant and to be prepared for possible storm landfall over the weekend. If the need arises for you to evacuate, be prepared to move early, know which shelter you will go to, take along the essential necessities you need to survive. COVID-19 Shelter Protocols and SI-119 of 2020 will continue to be enforced. You must wear a mask, people showing symptoms will be contained in a separate section of the shelter building, hand washing, and sanitizing must be done before entering a shelter. Shelter Wardens and Managers will allocate shelter space. Social distance must be adhered to and shelters must be sanitized on a regular basis and garbage properly disposed.
Note: The elderly and persons with underlying health conditions must not occupy the same space with normal persons. Shelter managers will monitor and correct hygiene and cough /sneeze etiquette. The Ministry of Health staff will conduct daily monitoring of shelters to detect people who are sick and showing signs of COVID-19. The NEMO Emergency Hotline is 936.
NEMO’s Emergency Coordinators can be reached as follows:
- Corozal: Mr. Ronnie Hernandez at 614-7140;
- Orange Walk: Mr. Aragon at 615 2264; or Mr. Leiva at 614-7177
- Belize District: Mr. Alphius Gillett at 614-4735;
- San Pedro: Ms. Vanessa Parham at 614-5865;
- Belize City: Mr. Al Westby at 614-8604 or Mr. Pollard at 614-3244;
- Belmopan: Ms. Clare Moody at 614-5705; or Mr. Eiley at 624-2365
- Cayo: Mr. Al Westby at 614-8604 or Mr. Johnny Ramclam at 614-5891;
- Stann Creek -Coastal- Dangriga including Mullins River to Independence),
Mr. Kevin Flores at 604-3632 - Stann Creek -Interior- Hummingbird and Southern highway communities, Mr. David Cruz at 614-8514; and for
- Toledo: Mr. Kenton Parham at 614 2158 or Mr. Dennis Williams at 614-2393
NEMO Headquarters alerted its committees starting Sunday, August 16 and has been posting alert notices on its website. All district and city emergency committees met on Tuesday. NEMO has also been receiving and redistributing relief supplies and PPE. PPEs from the Ministry of Health will be collected and distributed today to compliment what we already have in our five warehouses across the country.
NEMO remains in close communication with the national meteorological service. At this time, NEMO does not anticipate the need to evacuate San Pedro and the cayes. If evacuation becomes necessary, the National Evacuation Committee will notify the public accordingly. NEMO will keep the general public updated on any further developments. The public is advised to stay alert. Please adhere to the official release from the National Meteorological Service and NEMO.
Actions to Take:
- Visit State.Gov for hurricane preparedness information.
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to receive alerts
- Consult the CDC website for hurricane preparedness information.
- Consult the S. Department of Homeland Security website for hurricane preparedness information.
Assistance:
- S. Embassy Belmopan, Belize
Floral Park Road, Belmopan, Cayo, Belize
+501 822-4011
ConsulBelize@state.gov or ACSBelize@state.gov
https://bz.usembassy.gov/ - State Department – Consular Affairs
888-407-4747 or 202-501-4444 - Belize Country Information
- Enroll in Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts.
- Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
