The hurricane season is at its peak. September and October
are the most dangerous times for hurricanes in Belize, so it pays to know where
to look for information and to take precautions if a tropical storm or hurricane
is in the Caribbean.
Cable TV is available in all tourist areas, so watch the Weather
Channel’s “Tropical Update,” shown at 10 minutes to the hour.
Also check the website of the U.S. National Hurricane Center, www.nhc.noaa.gov/,
or the websites of a major newspaper or TV network.
If Belize is in danger, the country’s National Emergency
Management Organization will issue warnings and will begin evacuating the cayes
and any threatened areas on the mainland. Hurricane shelters are mainly intended
for Belizeans — visitors should either leave the country or head inland
to Cayo District.
If you follow this advice, you will have at least two days
time to leave the cayes and coast and find a safe place to ride out the storm.
—P.E.
