Flood leaves students stranded in villages along Belize River Valley

Posted: Tuesday, November 26, 2024. 11:15 am CST.

Crooked Tree students and residents on dock waiting for boat early Tuesday morning – Photo Credit: Crooked Tree Resident

By Rubén Morales Iglesias: The aftermath of Tropical Storm Sara continues to wreak havoc throughout Belize, with flooding causing severe disruptions, particularly in villages like Crooked Tree, Burrell Boom, and Sandhill along the Belize River Valley. Despite the storm dissipating long ago, the heavy rains and floodwaters originating from as far as Guatemala, where the Mopan River originates, have left many students from the villages along the Belize River Valley unable to attend school such as Pallotti High School, Edward P Yorke High School, St Catherine Academy, St John’s College, Anglican Cathedral College, and Wesley College in Belize City and Ladyville Technical and Tubal in Ladyville.

On Tuesday morning, residents of Crooked Tree, including students, had to resort to using boats to navigate the swollen waters in an attempt to access transportation to school. The journey, however, was fraught with challenges. While some students managed to cross the water, many were stranded as the school buses had already departed by the time they reached the other side. This left numerous students unable to attend classes, further exacerbating the educational setbacks caused by the flooding.

A resident of Crooked Tree said she met several students at the Crooked Tree dock waiting for the boat at 4:47 am, and when they finally got across, the bus had left. Students are up before 3:30 am, many of them, so that they can get a boat and then a bus to get to school. Then the ordeal is repeated to return home at the end of the school day.

The recurring issue of floodwaters in the Belize River Valley has been a persistent problem, disrupting daily life and education. Every time there is a flood, students and residents face the arduous task of navigating the waters, often resulting in missed school days and delayed education.

Two men manning a boat at Crooked Tree early Tuesday morning – Photo Credit: Crooked Tree Resident

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