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The Department of Infrastructure Development has cleared light traffic on the Coastal Plain Road after flooding made it impassable for much of today. The department issued the advisory late this evening after field staff assessed flood levels. However, the department reminded drivers to drive with caution in the area and to pay attention to the gauges on the spillway indicating water depth. Evondale Moody, chief engineer at the Department of Infrastructure Development, explained that flooding was mainly seen in two areas, particularly at the approach to the Manatee and Corn House bridges.
Evondale Moody, Chief Engineer, Ministry of Infrastructure Development: “This morning, my technical team informed me that there were several places along the Coastal Plain Highway where the water levels were rising significantly, especially at the approach to the Manatee Bridge and at the Cornhouse Bridge itself, where there is a floodway. Based on our analysis, we knew that the Cornhouse approach was supposed to be flooded because it is a floodway, which is why it is designed to flood that area in case of extremely heavy rainfall. We have meters installed there, which you can see as you drive by, to determine the depth of water that will flood that area. What surprised us was the flooding at the Manatee Bridge, because before we upgraded the highway, the structure of that bridge would normally be flooded. There used to be a wooden structure there, and we replaced that structure with a new bridge structure that is designed for a 125-year annual return period. As a result, the structure of the bridge was raised about 5.5 meters, about 18 feet higher than the existing old bridge. There was water even under the beams. So the bridges were not blocked but there was water on the access roads and that was causing some issues for us. We also saw some water at the Gales Point junction as well. However, that water receded very quickly. So based on the information that I was given this morning, I had to issue a press release to the media, and I think the press release was sent to you at around 10:30/11 this morning. However, based on my understanding and the latest information that I have just collected from the southern team, the water has now receded in all of those locations, so I can now approve the roads to be reopened to a limited number of vehicles. ”
Regarding the rain that made the highway impassable, Michelle Augustine, deputy chief meteorologist at the National Weather Service, said southern Belize has experienced unusually high rainfall in a short period of time. She added that the rain will slow down in the south but is expected to increase again over the weekend.
Deputy Chief Meteorologist Michelle Augustine: “That particular area where the coastal highway is located is where the heaviest or highest rainfall has been in the last 24 hours. So from just after midnight Thursday to this morning or mid-morning, that area received about 13 inches of rain in a 24-hour period. So the infrastructure or flood damage in that area is primarily due to excessive rainfall, what we call really excessive rainfall, meaning that the rainfall has fallen in a large amount in a short period of time. Especially in the next 24 hours, 12 to 24 hours, we should see a reduction in rainfall in the south. Most of the rainfall will be concentrated in the northern part of the country. So we should see the water levels in that area recede very quickly because tomorrow, as early as tomorrow, they will get some sunshine. But let me add that the rainfall is only expected to decrease in the next 24 hours. But after that, we do expect to see a surge in moisture, what we call trapped moisture, which is moisture behind the system, which is expected to regenerate or re-form showers in that area. The same particular area is getting rain, right? We expect that late Saturday night into Sunday morning, the rainfall will increase again, just temporarily, right? But only in that particular part of the country.”
MIDH urges drivers in the area to obey all traffic rules, including driving within the speed limit and using seatbelts.
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