Are there floods and flooding in Belize?
Tamrah Lozano
In the rainy season when there is heavy rainfall some areas in Belize can become flooded, especially the low lying areas like in the Belize District and some areas in southern Belize.
In the rainy season when there is heavy rainfall some areas in Belize can become flooded, especially the low lying areas like in the Belize District and some areas in southern Belize.
Posted December 1, 2014
Christian Burn
In Belize, we experience some flooding in the wet season only when there is an excessive amount of rainfall and the rivers swell trying to flow over to the sea. There is no flooding in Belize in the dry season.
Occasionally, bridges get washed out due to flooding. Flooding only happens in the mainland and not on the islands. There may be some flooding in Ambergris Caye that happens when there is too much rainfall and the water does not exit quickly because the island only has a...
Occasionally, bridges get washed out due to flooding. Flooding only happens in the mainland and not on the islands. There may be some flooding in Ambergris Caye that happens when there is too much rainfall and the water does not exit quickly because the island only has a...
In Belize, we experience some flooding in the wet season only when there is an excessive amount of rainfall and the rivers swell trying to flow over to the sea. There is no flooding in Belize in the dry season.
Occasionally, bridges get washed out due to flooding. Flooding only happens in the mainland and not on the islands. There may be some flooding in Ambergris Caye that happens when there is too much rainfall and the water does not exit quickly because the island only has a 14-inch elevation, but it does not last long. Evaporation is always high because of the latitude.
People build houses on stilts not because of the flooding, but in order to get the airflow because the air crawls through the stilts and creates a cooling effect. Flooding is not a major concern for people who want to retire in Ambergris Caye.
Occasionally, bridges get washed out due to flooding. Flooding only happens in the mainland and not on the islands. There may be some flooding in Ambergris Caye that happens when there is too much rainfall and the water does not exit quickly because the island only has a 14-inch elevation, but it does not last long. Evaporation is always high because of the latitude.
People build houses on stilts not because of the flooding, but in order to get the airflow because the air crawls through the stilts and creates a cooling effect. Flooding is not a major concern for people who want to retire in Ambergris Caye.
Posted December 2, 2014
Glendy Delcid
Yes, there is a lot of flooding in Belize, especially in the last 2 to 3 years. People have lost homes and there was a time, about 7 years ago when there was a hurricane, in which the entire southern district and the Stann Creek District was flooded and an entire family died. Also one of the major bridges that goes to Stann Creek and Toledo got washed out, so we do experience a lot of flooding. I’ve heard people in Belize City who...
Yes, there is a lot of flooding in Belize, especially in the last 2 to 3 years. People have lost homes and there was a time, about 7 years ago when there was a hurricane, in which the entire southern district and the Stann Creek District was flooded and an entire family died. Also one of the major bridges that goes to Stann Creek and Toledo got washed out, so we do experience a lot of flooding. I’ve heard people in Belize City who experience rain for an entire day, and the entire streets are filled with water and the roads are blocked. It can get problematic in some areas because there is only one way to go to work or one way to go to school. Children cannot go to school that day because they can’t pass the road or the people can’t go to work. Some villages and some towns have some flooding, but it’s mostly during the rainy season. It does not flood all year. It’s mostly during the months of October and November in which we experience most rain.
Lately we have been experiencing some changes in the weather. We normally get the rains in October and November, but last year and the year before, we got a lot of rain in December as well, and sometimes even up to January.
Flooding in Belize is not a reason for you not to move here. If it floods here, it could last for days because the water cannot get out. But I guess, if you are planning to move here and you’re concerned about the flooding, then maybe you can move to the higher areas.
I haven’t heard of one incident of flooding in the cayes, but here in San Ignacio, it can get flooded. There are times when it comes, and then it goes. It can get flooded for a day and as soon as it stops raining, the water will drain. I think the problem of flooding would be if we had a major hurricane coming, but we do not experience many hurricanes coming to Belize. We mostly get rains, but that’s about it. I personally live beside a creek and I have lived there for 10 years and my house hasn’t ever been flooded. There were some years where the water almost came close to our house, but it didn’t flood our house. Here in San Ignacio, drains and streets could get flooded, but not the homes.
(Men navigating a small boat on the waterways of the Belize River, pictured.)
Posted April 24, 2015
Wendy Miller - RE/MAX Property Center South
Yes there are floods and flooding in Belize, especially in areas near the rivers and areas that are below sea level. There are areas like Belize City where much of the land is built up and these areas are prone to flooding. The areas near the rivers will also experience flooding mainly during the rainy season that runs in accordance with the hurricane season from June to November. (Lamanai, translated from Mayan as "submerged...
Yes there are floods and flooding in Belize, especially in areas near the rivers and areas that are below sea level. There are areas like Belize City where much of the land is built up and these areas are prone to flooding. The areas near the rivers will also experience flooding mainly during the rainy season that runs in accordance with the hurricane season from June to November. (Lamanai, translated from Mayan as "submerged crocodile," are Mayan ruins on a lagoon, near New River, Belize, pictured.)
Posted December 22, 2015
Rubi Young - Altamira Residences
The dry season here in Belize is from January to June. July to November is hurricane season but it doesn’t rain all day. We still get sunshine and some rains but we don’t get very heavy rains that cause flooding. The month of December is just chilly. There are no earthquakes in Belize, either. We have not experienced any earthquake here at all.
(December in Belize, pictured.)
The dry season here in Belize is from January to June. July to November is hurricane season but it doesn’t rain all day. We still get sunshine and some rains but we don’t get very heavy rains that cause flooding. The month of December is just chilly. There are no earthquakes in Belize, either. We have not experienced any earthquake here at all.
(December in Belize, pictured.)
Posted December 28, 2015