Hurricane Warning Advisory 9

HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE COAST OF BELIZE

NEMO hereby informs that Hurricane Earl was centered near Latitude 17.1°N, Longitude 86.0°W or about 103 miles east-southeast of Half Moon Caye, 141 miles east-southeast of San Pedro Ambergris Caye, 147 miles east of Dangriga, 150 miles east-southeast of Belize City, 181 miles east-southeast of Corozal Town, and 198 miles east of Punta Gorda Town.

Maximum sustained winds are near 75 mph with higher gusts.   Earl is moving westward near 14 mph and some decrease in forward speed is expected during the next 24 hours. On this track, Earl will MAKE landfall in Belize tonight or early Thursday morning.    Earl will produce rainfall of8-12 inches over Belize with possible higher amounts.   These rains could cause flash floods and mud slides especially over higher terrain.   For coastal areas, there is also a risk for flooding, especially in low lying areas.

The predicted path/impact areas HAVE CHANGED to north of Belize City.  It will move over Half moon caye;  Long Caye; Middle Caye; Long Caye Turneffe. The main impact zone now seems to be shifting to Belize River Valley area villages such as Willows Bank; Rancho Dolores; Isabella Bank; Double Head Cabbage; and villages in southern Orange Walk such as Guinea Grass, Chang August Pine ridge San Felipe, Indian Church and parts of Corozal to a lesser extent.

Sequence of expected approach for Hurricane Earl is as follows: the outer atolls will be affected at about 7:00 p.m. tonight.  San Pedro, Caye Caulker, Corozal, Orange Walk and Belize City will experience 40 mph winds at about 9-11:00 p.m. At midnight we will begin to experience Hurricane force winds over the projected path.  At 1:00 a.m. hurricane force winds will be over mostly the Northern half of the country.

Shelters opened are as folows:

San Pedro:

1. New Horizon 7th  Day Adventist School

(14 people)

2. San Pedro High School (82 people)
3. San Pedro RC Primary (30 people)

Caye Caulker:

1. Caye Caulker RC School

Orange Walk

1. Trial Farm (9 people)
2. Multi Purpose Building

Belmopan:

1. Garden City Primary School
2. Belmopan Comprehensive High School
3. University of Belize

Belize City:

1. St. John’s Vianney (187 people)
2. Unity Presbyterian Primary School

(87 people)

3. St. Luke Methodist Primary School (155 people)
4. St.  Martin  De  Porres  Primary  School

(186 people)

5. Pallotti High School (59 persons)

South Side Belize:

1. Queen Square Primary School
2. Grace Primary School (Full)
3. Salvation Army Primary School
4. Maud Williams High School (7 persons)
5. Trinity Methodist

Dangriga:

1. Ecumenical High School (12 persons)
2. Sacred Heart Parish Hall (4 persons)
3. 3 Holy Ghost RC School (0 person)
4. 4 Hope Creek Methodist School (8 persons)
5. Parish Hall (3 persons)

Belize Rural:

1. Biscayne Gov’t School
2. Sandhill Community Centre
3. Crooked Tree Government School

(50 persons)

4. Our Lady of Lourdes RC

Punta Gorda:

1. Bethel SDA (14 persons)

• All employers are hereby advised that they are to comply with the directive (s) from NEMO regarding employees safety. In the circumstance an employee has the right to seek safety. Any employer who prevents and employee from leaving, commits an offense under the provisions of the Labour Amendment Act #3 of 2011.

Actions to be carried out by the public.

• Continue to listen to the advisories and remain vigilant.

• Seek shelter, move to higher ground away from the coast and low-lying areas.   People in

Bungalow, ground floor level building will experience flooding.

• Parents are hereby urged to keep their children and family members safely indoors.

• If you live in a flood prone area and along the coast and your home is not safe you are strongly advised to move early to a shelter in your area. If you are going to shelter, know which shelter you will go to and how you will get there.    Take along your food, water, medications, and personal hygiene items so you can survive and weather the storm for a few days.

NEMO urges all to protect their life.     Listen to your local radio and television for further advisories from NEMO and the National Met Service.

:-End Release-: