Last night at midnight, a powerful thunderstorm came rumbling up towards Belize from Honduras. It swept through Southern Belize and roared up to the city - and it left a path of destruction.
It decimated crops in the banana belt and damaged houses in the city - while also destroying an electrical transformer in Independence - which has caused a blackout that will last more than 24 hours.
Indeed, last night's freak thunderstorm may well have caused more damage than Tropical Storm Harvey.
We'll tell you all about the storm, and its aftermath tonight. And we start in the Port Loyola area of Belize City where one house blew down and another right across the street lost its roof.
Monica Bodden found out more:
Monica Bodden Reporting
The rail on the stairs of this wooden home - stood taller than the house itself… While the steps for it - laid out on the muddy ground.
This house that once stood 20 foot high in the air house - was blown flat to the ground by strong winds.
Picture this -This house was once as tall as this neighbor's house that is just right across the street.
Cherry Tasha - Home Owner
"I woke up, and I was pulling on my phone, because I was charging it. I then felt water blowing through this window here, so I was trying to get a plastic to put at the top there. That's when I felt a heavy breeze blow from this direction, and then I heard a crack, and I said, 'God, no please'. That's when the house fell flat on the ground."
Monica Bodden
"So you heard a loud crack?"
Cherry Tasha
"Yes, I heard a crack, and I felt a stiff breeze and a vibe that the house was going to go down. It just fell right down, flat on the ground. My daughter was on the bed here. She flew a bit off the ground, fell back on the bed, and screamed out."
Monica Bodden
"How old is your daughter?"
Cherry Tasha
"She is 8 years-old."
Monica Bodden
"At the time, how many people were inside the house?"
Cherry Tasha
"It was only her and me."
After her house came tumbling down, Tasha said she dialed a couple numbers for help - which came just minutes after.
Cherry Tasha
"I saw that I landed on the ground and we were safe, so I thanked God that nothing happened to us. I got up and dialed a number for someone to come help me out. The police man, who is my neighbor, looked like he called the police, and 5 minutes later, they came and forced open the door so that I could get outside."
Monica Bodden
"At this time, was the area still windy, rainy?"
Cherry Tasha
"It was still raining and the breeze was still blowing. They helped me to pack up a little bit of clothes, and they took me to my sister's house."
Today her television set, her radio and other household appliances were placed in the pan of this red pickup truck as she along with friends tried to sort out the rest of what can be saved among the chaos.
Monica Bodden
"Would you say that you have lost everything in your house? Was everything destroyed?"
Cherry Tasha
"Everything nearly got destroyed. I didn't really check to make sure that they all broke. I don't know what exactly is still good until I have cleared it out."
Monica Bodden
"But the house is in a mess."
Cherry Tasha
"Yes, the house is in a mess. I don't know who will help me clean this out, but I will do something about it."
Tasha says she has been promised help from her area representative - but that help won't come until October. So for the meantime, she along with her 8 year old daughter will just have to shelter in her panades shop.
Cherry Tasha
"Right in my mother's yard, in my panades shop, I will have to stay, my daughter and me. Mr. Boots said that he would fix it in October. So I will have to wait until he can get the money to fix it."
And for her neighbor Cynthia Anderson - she too was affected by last night's strong breeze. Half of her roof was blown off and landed in her neighbor's yard.
Cynthia Anderson - Homeowner also Affected by the Wind
"Last night, due to the hard rain and winds that blew, it blew off the house top."
Monica Bodden
"Around what time was this?"
Cynthia Anderson
"I am not sure of the exact time last night."
Monica Bodden
"Were you guy awoken by what was going on?"
Cynthia Anderson
"Yes, it blew off a whole section into the neighbor's yard. It landed into the side of their house."
Monica Bodden
"And this is the top where?
Cynthia Anderson
"This is by the living, kitchen, and dining area. I went to the Minister this morning, and he asked me to full out a form to get some help. So I did that."
Monica Bodden
"Do you have to drop off that form?"
Cynthia Anderson
"Yes, I have to drop off this afternoon after I have finished with the estimate."
Monica Bodden
"But for the meantime, you don't have any roof. If a rain comes..."
Cynthia Anderson
"There is no roof, and everything is wet inside."
Monica Bodden
"How frustrating is it? What will you do for tonight?"
Cynthia Anderson
"I don't know. My daughter is trying to get some of the stuff out to get them dry. We'll have to try to patch it up with whatever is there. All the boards are broken up, so I don't know we will do it."
If you would like to assist Anderson you can call telephone number 6-2-4-1-9-3-7.
And if you would like to assist Cherry Tasher and her 8 year old daughter, you can reach them at telephone number 6-2-3-4-9-4-2.
Both ladies are awaiting help.
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