Hurricanes in Belize

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Hurricane Dean nearing landfalll just north of Belize at Category 5 strength.
Hurricane Dean nearing landfall 25 miles north of Belize with winds of 175 mph (280 km/h)

Belize (/bəˈliːz/ (About this soundlisten)), formerly known as British Honduras, is a Caribbean country located on the northeastern coast of Central America. Belize is bordered on the northwest by Mexico, on the east by the Caribbean Sea, and on the south and west by Guatemala. It has an area of 22,970 square kilometres (8,867 sq mi) and a population of 408,487 (2019). Its mainland is about 290 km (180 mi) long and 110 km (68 mi) wide. It has the lowest population and population density in Central America.[1]

Since records began in 1851, only two hurricanes have had Category 5 hurricane strength and have hit or hit close by to Belize, with the two being Hurricane Janet in 1955 and Hurricane Dean in 2007. Along with only two storms of Category 5 strength impacting Belize, only three Category 4 hurricanes have impacted Belize, including the 1931 British Honduras hurricane, Hurricane Keith in 2000, and Hurricane Iris in 2001. The most recent tropical cyclone to hit Belize was Hurricane Nana (2020).

Climatology[]

About once a decade, a major hurricane strikes the nation of Belize, located on the eastern Yucatán peninsula.[2]

Pre 1900s[]

1900s[]

  • September 10, 1931 - A Category 4 hurricane struck Belize City; it killed 2,500 people, making it the deadliest hurricane in the country's history.[3]
  • October 31, 1961 - Powerful Hurricane Hattie struck Belize City, forcing the capital city to move inland.[4]

2000s[]

Damage in Belize after Hurricane Keith
Damage in Belize after Hurricane Keith
  • October 1, 2000 - Hurricane Keith stalls off shore of Belize, killing 19 people and causing $280 million dollars in damage. As Keith stalled offshore Belize, water was blown out of Chetumal Bay, with reports of people walking on the dry bay floor, even though the water could return with a slight shift in the wind direction. In Caye Caulker, there were unofficial wind estimates of 125 miles per hour and the hurricane produced a 4 foot (1.2 meter) storm surge. In mainland Belize, wind gusts reached 61 miles per hour (98 km/h) at the Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport. Many areas of Belize lost power and telephone service, which included Belize City. More than 130 houses were destroyed in mainland Belize, and two roofs of hotels had been destroyed. On the islands of San Pedro and Caye Caulker, 90 percent of roofs on homes had been damaged and 676 houses were destroyed, leaving 3,729 people homeless. In Belize City, streets flooded with 3 feet (0.91 meters) of water because of 10 inches (250 millimeters) of rainfall, which peaked at 32.67 inches (830 millimeters) at the Belize City International Airport. Rain also raised rivers including the New River, Belize River, and the Hondo River. The Belize River rose to a record level of 21 feet (6.6 meters) in width, isolating 15 villages. Overall, there was $280 million dollars in damage, and 19 people were killed.[5][6]
  • August 21, 2001 - Tropical Storm Chantal makes landfall in northern Belize, producing strong winds and moderate rainfall . Rainfall peaked at 9.81 inches (249 mm), which, combined with winds that peaked at 71 miles per hour in Caye Caulker, damaged crops and agriculture. Large waves also damaged sea walls and piers.[7]
  • October 9, 2001 - Hurricane Iris makes landfall in Monkey River Town, Belize as a small but powerful Category 4 hurricane with 145 mile per hour winds, killing 24 people and causing $250 million in damage. Even though Iris made landfall with 145 mile per hour winds, the peak winds that were recorded were 106 miles per hour in Big Creek, Belize. In 35 villages, 95 percent of buildings had been destroyed, although most of the damage was confined to the Toledo and Stann Creek District, with 72 percent of buildings in the Toledo District and 50 percent of the Stann Creek District destroyed, which left around 15,000 people homeless. About 5,000 acres (2,000 ha) of the banana crop, 3,500 acres (1,400 ha) of the rice crop, and 3,000 acres (1,200 ha) of the corn crop had been destroyed. Some tourist related areas had been damaged, including the Maya ruins of Belize, and 20 percent of hotel rooms had been damaged. The Wave Dancer, a 120 foot (37 meter) scuba diving boat capsized after possibly being hit by a tornado in Big Creek, Belize. 28 people, including 20 from the Richmond Dive Club, had been on the boat when it capsized. Iris ripped apart the ropes connecting the boat to the dock, causing it to capsize and quickly flood the boat. Eight people survived, 11 bodies were recovered, and nine other people were presumed dead, including 15 from Richmond and three crew members.[8][9]
  • August 21, 2007 - Hurricane Dean
  • May 31, 2008 - Tropical Storm Arthur

2010s[]

2020s[]

Climatology[]

Storms affecting Belize by month
Month Number of Storms
May
1
June
2
August
5
September
1
October
3
Storms affecting Belize by period
Period Number of Storms
2000s
5
2010s
6
2020s
1

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "World Population Prospects: The 2008 Revision Population Database". United Nations. March 11, 2009. Archived from the original on 19 August 2010. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
  2. ^ Terrence A McCloskey; Gerta Keller (February 2009). "5000 year sedimentary record of hurricane strikes on the central coast of Belize". Quaternary International. doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2008.03.003.
  3. ^ Edward N. Rappaport and Jose Fernandez-Partagas (April 22, 1997). The Deadliest Atlantic Tropical Cyclones, 1492–1996: Cyclones with 25+ Deaths. National Hurricane Center (Report). Miami, Florida: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 2016-09-15.
  4. ^ "Hurricane 'Edith' Deepens Rapidly". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. 46 (342). Associated Press. 1971-09-07. pp. 1A, 4A. Retrieved 2013-01-10.
  5. ^ "Hurricane Keith Reaches Mexico, Belize". abcnews.go.com. January 6, 2006.
  6. ^ "Hurricane Keith batters Belize". news.bbc.co.uk. October 3, 2000.
  7. ^ OCHA (August 21, 2001). "Caribbean - Tropical Storm Chantal OCHA Situation Report No. 4". reliefweb.int.
  8. ^ Katherine Calos (October 2, 2011). "Survivors recall 17 divers lost in '01 Belize disaster". richmond.com.
  9. ^ IFRC (October 12, 2001). "Belize: Hurricane Iris appeal No. 33/01". reliefweb.int.
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