What was supposed to be a simple assignment quickly turned into a firsthand look at a national emergency. News Five’s Shane Williams headed south to cover the opening of a new building at the Stann Creek ITVET, but instead found himself navigating flooded highways, stalled traffic, and emergency evacuations. As rising waters cut off roads and stranded motorists, the story shifted from education to survival, with Mother Nature taking center stage.
Shane Williams Reporting…
The assignment sounded simple, head to the Stann Creek District for the official opening of a new ITVET facility, with Minister of State Dr. Louis Zabaneh delivering the keynote. But before sunrise, it was clear the day would take a very different turn. Just after seven this morning, social media lit up with videos of vehicles stranded along the Coastal Road, swamped by overnight flooding. That’s when plans quickly changed, prompting an earlier departure and a reroute along the longer Hummingbird Highway.
Along the way, another urgent situation unfolded. Stann Creek West Area Representative Rodwell Ferguson took to social media, issuing a call for help for a man identified as Augustine Cho, who was reportedly trapped in the Stann Creek Valley as floodwaters continued to rise. By the time we got to Belmopan, videos had emerged showing members of a Mennonite community being evacuated from flood-affected areas in the Stann Creek Valley. The story was already changing. After coming out of a long internet blackout along the Hummingbird Highway near Hope Creek, we received word that the ITVET opening had been called off due to weather conditions. And just a mile up another obstacle was waiting. Standing roadside was Dr. Louis Zabaneh, the keynote speaker we had traveled nearly three hours to interview at the now-postponed ITVET ceremony. Instead of greeting him at a podium, we found him standing with stranded commuters, watching the floodwaters rise.
Louis Zabaneh
Dr. Louis Zabaneh, Area Representative, Dangriga
“The water has receded a little bit since then. With the police, we’re grateful to them. They’ve been out here stopping the traffic on that side. So only the bigger the big trucks, high pickups were able to pass earlier. What just occurred there, you see is a bus that just the driver in the bus and he apparently he got a little too close to the side. And you see the back of the bus has gone off on the, on the side, no? And the water seems to push it off on the side but thank God they’re okay. So we’re holding up the traffic and it’s only the bigger vehicles that can pass.”
With no way forward, we turned back toward Belize City, but not before stopping in the Mountain View Mennonite community in the Stann Creek Valley, where residents were already wading through the aftermath and taking stock of the flooding’s impact.
John Penner
John Penner, Leader, Mountain View Community
“Last night it rained and rained and rained, and we were kinda wondering what will happen. So and then, the water, we saw the water rise very quick. Very quick. And we were trying to taking care of our stuff. So after all, they came with a motorboat and rescue us on the other side.”
On our way back, we met Stann Creek West Area Representative Rodwell Ferguson, who was moving from village to village assessing conditions and checking on residents affected by the flooding. He also provided an update on Augustine Cho.
Rodwell Ferguson
Rodwell Ferguson, Area Representative, Stann Creek West
“They had a need for a boat to go across the river to assist some people. So he told me he gonna get the chiney man in Pomona who has a boat to go across and bring him across. There was one gentleman, Mr. Augustine Cho, who had a farm across the river, and he was there last night nursing some young pigs. And so he decided to sleep at his camp. And so a friend of him called me likewise after and say he need to be rescued. So right away I put it on Facebook to let the village know that this gentleman is across there by himself. I was told when he got rescued, he was up in a tree, but he make sure he save his three pigs. So that was very good of him to make sure he secure his animal. But the beauty of Stann Creek Valley, the flood only persists as the rain persists. Once the rain stops, the water disappears immediately.”
By then, reports suggested water levels along the Coastal Road had dropped significantly. Even with debris scattered across sections, damaged pavement, and a road-closed sign at the Gales Point junction, the route looked manageable once again. For a moment, it felt like the journey was finally winding down. Then we reached mile sixteen, where floodwater stretched nearly two feet deep across the road. A brief attempt was made to cross, but it didn’t take long to realize that nature was winning this battle.
Retreating through the Hummingbird Highway was the only option. A routine assignment to cover a ribbon-cutting quickly turned into something far more serious, a firsthand look at the real challenges communities across the country are now facing as flooding takes its toll. And yes, we actually made it all the way to Stann Creek ITVET. Shane Williams for News Five.
Floodwaters Paralyze Traffic on Hummingbird Highway
Today’s flood across the Hummingbird Highway brought traffic to a standstill, forcing motorists and commuters to put their plans on hold. Among those caught in the standstill were teachers trying to reach their classrooms, students on their way to school, and families and visitors eager to get moving again. But as the water held its ground, so did they, waiting, watching, and adjusting plans on the fly. It was a moment that reminded everyone stuck there that when nature takes over, there’s not much you can do but pause and be patient. We spoke with several of those stranded, who shared how the sudden delay disrupted their day.
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