As day broke on Ambergris Caye, Belize, on Thursday, August 4, 2016, on the aftermath of Hurricane Earl slamming into the country, it was evident that the majority of the devastation on the island was concentrated on the coastline. It is estimated so far that at least 90% of all piers and docking facilities have been destroyed. Every single pier on the island is either partially damage, significantly destroyed or completely wiped out. A major impact is that to the tourism sector as most dive shops that were situated on piers have been completely destroyed.
Massive piles of rubble and debris from these piers accumulated on the beach; an unbelievable site as residents headed to the shoreline to assess the damage by the storm. As the initial shock wore off though, island residents immediately commenced cleanup efforts. The entire day was spent assessing the damages and commencement of cleaning up. There is no question that the island will rebuild.
“San Pedro has never shied away from hard work to rebuild. We are a resilient people. It’s how we thrive – Like Rocky, knock us down and we’ll get back up. Roll up them sleeves folks.” – Christian Guerrero
“I’ve been praying for my family and friends during Tropical Storm Earl and I’m so relieved everyone made it through safely. I know there is a lot of work to do now, with all the damage caused by the storm. What’s awesome is that I have full faith the San Pedro community will join together to make it happen. Most of the examples of hard work, dedication and family focus was engrained in me during my time as a child in Belize. God bless Belize, and most of all, God bless the people of San Pedro.” – Marcelo Gomez
Ambergris Caye is down, but not out. Power has been restored to half of the island and the power company is expecting to have the entire island entirely back on the grid by today or early Saturday, August 6. Only a handful of homes/structures suffered damages on Ambergris Caye and businesses are working diligently to open shop and get the island running back to normal. Other parts of the island experienced minimal impact with a lot of fallen trees and some downed power lines and damages light posts. There is significant erosion of the beaches, although some areas can boast new widened beaches.
Most Importantly – No human loss or injuries have been reported
Amidst all the sadness, tears and disbelief, there are smiles, laughter, hugs, high spirits and most importantly strong and willing persons who are ready to get this island town back to normal.
