And from that unfolding wide-scale disaster in our Caribbean sister state, to a tragedy of untold dimensions in our neighbor to the north.
Mexicans in the states of Morelos and Puebla are still trying to recover after yesterday's 7.1 magnitude earthquake. This is the second earthquake in Mexico in 12 days. The first one struck off Mexico's west coast near the border with Guatemala. That was an 8.1 magnitude - one of the country's most powerful quakes in a century. As we showed you, many Belizeans felt the effects. 61 Mexicans died during that quake but yesterday's powerful tremor has caused more deaths - up until this morning it was at 220 and counting.
What makes this devastation even harder to bear is that yesterday marks the 32nd anniversary of the 1985 Mexico quake that killed thousands of people. Interestingly, every year on September the 19th, Mexicans carry out a national training exercise to prepare for earthquakes such as these - and yesterday was no different but no plan can prepare anyone for the massive cement buildings that crumble and crush so many people in an instant. Counsellor for Legal Affairs and Press at the Mexican Institute Hugo Juarez Carrillo told us about the situation in Mexico.
Hugo Juarez Carrillo, Counsellor for Legal Affairs and Press
"The last count that I had was 219 deaths this morning, 219 and we believe the number is going to grow but fortunately we have had a very long period of training after the earthquake we suffered on September 19th 1985, the same date but 30 something years ago, yes we have had a nationwide program in order to train us to be ready for this type of problems and the people know how to do things. Actually at 11:00 am the same day we have a process of preparation for this type of things, everyone left the buildings and 3 hours after that we suffered this terrible earthquake."
"There has been a lot of people that have been saved from the buildings that fell down."
Courtney Weatherburne, reporter
"Can you say how many buildings?"
Hugo Juarez Carrillo, Counsellor for Legal Affairs and Press
"We know the last count we had this morning was around 40, four zero and a lot of them were apartment buildings that were not occupied at the moment because it was a time that people were in their offices and we know that the worst part is in the school where we don't know yet how many children died or how many have survived that was maybe the worst image we saw."
"We are so sad because of the number of people who died yesterday and well the Embassy as you see the flag is at mid pole the President has decreed 3 days of mourning for Mexico."
"I can tell you that fortunately the solidarity of the people in Mexico City has been so great and so immediate that thanks to the volunteers and the specialists in these matters from the Navy, from the Army, from the Federal police from the Red Cross and from different private groups like Los Topos we call them."
Carrillo told us that Japan and Israel have pledged to assist in rescue efforts. But Mexico needs a lot more help. For those who would like to help, the Mexican Red Cross has set up a bank account for donations at Bancomer. The account number is 0404040406.
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