If you were in Belize City last night you had cool and calm night, but for residents out west - it was very very wet. It rained almost all night and flooded them out. Those affected the most were Unitedville residents - who live close to the creek. The waters rose and inundated their yards, homes and the village bridge. Courtney Weatherburne has more.
Unitedville resident Alberto Cocom makes and sells coconut oil – he has his own home-styled factory in his kitchen.
He had already made a few buckets and was preparing to make more when last night’s flash flood ruined those batches and washed away most of his coconuts.
Alberto Cocom - Resident
"I didn’t know it come so high but when I noticed about 1 o'clock the water was nearly over the bridge. Well I go to school and then I live off my coconut oil, I lost nearly 400 coconuts, you would pay 50 cents for one for that's like 800 I lost right there. We make 20 bottle of oil for the day."
Courtney Weatherburne
"The coconuts were just washed away pretty much."
Alberto Cocom
"It just gone yes."
For other Unitedville residents, the water poured into their homes ..soaking their rugs and household items. The water rose to about 12 inches inside this home.
The water gushed through Emilda Cocom’s home, we found her this morning making breakfast for her 3 young kids – trying to normalize her home after a frightening stormy night.
Emilda Cocom - Resident
"My babies at the back the water started to come in so I got them up because my common law told me that water was reaching some meter over there so he said that maybe electricity could pass through the water so I took the babies inside my mom's house where it was safer for them."
Courtney Weatherburne
"During this time it was raining very hard too?"
Emilda Cocom
"Yes it was raining at the same time. Lightning, thunder."
Courtney Weatherburne
"A serious thunderstorm last night."
Emilda Cocom
"Yes it was."
This was the scene last night - their yards were completely flooded out.
Now residents are cleaning up and recovering after what they call the worst flood they have experienced so far.
Alberto Cocom
"It normally raise but not to that extent."
Courtney Weatherburne
"So this was the worst you've ever experienced?"
Alberto Cocom
"The worst one."
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