Stranded In Town...

Janet…Swallowed by the Waters of the Bay Part 2 

 

Jorge was 21 years old when the most powerful hurricane in the history of Northern Belize; Janet, slammed Sarteneja and left his entire community homeless. This is his story:

 

I remember the day when Janet came like a demolisher back in 1955. It was a very stormy morning due to an unusual cold front that was affecting our region. Despite this uncommon weather condition, my day started like any other day. I was at Punta Col, south of Sarteneja when I was informed that a very strong storm was about to hit Belize. This shocking news caused panic among the other fishermen in the area and they left everything to go back to their families. I was young and adventurous, this news didn’t cause a single drop of fear and so I continued as if nothing was happening.  

 

I fished that entire afternoon until I caught enough fish to take back home. As I was paddling back around four in the evening, I became concerned when the winds started to pick up.  The sea became choppier; the gusty winds were slowly increasing as well. I struggled to reach home that evening. I had to leave my father’s boat anchored near the cemetery and from there I walked home with my fresh catch. I made plans to go back for the boat later that evening, but that never happened.

When I reached home, my family was departing to the shelter. My father was transporting his last cement to the shelter where they would have stayed dry. He did not need help so I went home to clean my catch. After having a feast all by myself, I went to the shelter where I found out that the storm was a hurricane and was named “Janet.”

At around 9 in the night, the gusty winds began intensifying even more. The storm we were waiting for was finally here. The strong gusty winds began tearing down everything on its path. The tiny thatch roof farming community was slowly being destroyed. More and more villagers came in one by one, all wet and traumatized.  They all took this storm lightly. The sound outside was immense, like giants stepping down on trees and breaking them like sticks.

When I was about to fall asleep, I remembered my father’s boat. I was petrified but I needed to confess him where I left his boat. With a lump in my throat, I told him everything. He looked at me with anger and with an indignant voice he asked: “where did you leave my boat, stupid child?” After that long uncomfortable discussion, we decided to go secure his boat somewhere safe despite the danger outside. Mom begged us not to go but that boat meant everything for our family. As we stepped outside, the wind sucked us out in a forceful manner. The winds were so intense that we had difficulty walking. We had doubts on going but there was no way we going back. We had to walk and drag ourselves to the seaside to try to save the boat.

 

This outing was a lifetime adventure, for my father, it was a stupid way to die. We managed to pull the boat a little inland and tie it to a coconut tree. The winds kept getting stronger and just when we thought it was bad as it could get, the winds picked up even more. At that specific point in time, the waters of the bay also began coming out of place. We knew things will get worst, so after securing the boat we began our race back to the shelter.

Our journey back to the shelter was relatively easy as the wind was coming from the north. The strong northern winds involuntarily pushed us towards the shelter. All we had to do was to try not to get pushed down to the ground or get hit by flying debris. With little struggle, we made it back and safe to the shelter.  Mom was more than happy to see us alive, and with a warm hug, she welcomed us back to safety.

We were not the only things that were being carried away that night. Just a little after our arrival the waters of the bay started to invade the building. The villagers didn’t know where it was coming from so they began bailing water out of the building with sponges and buckets. With a smile on my face, I had to tell them that it wasn’t rain water.  

The shelter was 3 blocks away from the sea and waters of the bay were here and were rising. After seeing this, the people went at the back of the building where the floor was a little higher. My father tried to save his cements but after seeing the water reaching the stage he left everything and began saving his own life. It was at this time that the most horrifying noise was heard coming from the outside, accompanied by horrific cryings.

People were in trouble and they needed help! A group of men rushed outside despite the gusty winds to try save the family. I rushed out as well. It was dark and flooded but I was able to see the demolished church that once stood in front of the shelter. The bell tower was reduced to half and the walls of the church became a reef on that stormy night.  The people kept crying between that rocky demolished church and begged for help. We managed to help the family and took them to the shelter but unfortunately, their baby died on the spot.

The water continued rising none-stop, the winds also gained strength. Everybody was now standing on benches. When we thought this was it, the front door was slammed opened by a huge branch. The waters began coming in even more accompanied by gusty winds. Thankfully one of the villagers swam across and closed the door.

The water was now a little over our shoulders. The frightened villagers were now tearing the attic so they could place their kids up there. The room was dark as the hurricane lamps were spoiled by the water. The roof was also wet and so it began tearing down. Some kids fell in the water but were rescued by their parents.

The waters appeared to have stayed in the building for an eternity but in reality, it stayed in there for about 3-4 hours. All of a sudden there was no rain or wind to be heard. We knew that the storm wasn’t over. They said we're in the eye, and they were right, it didn’t stay calm for the remaining of that night. The winds began coming from the southwestern side with all its force, tearing down everything that remained standing. The water of the bay didn’t come back this time; probably it was carried away to Chetumal.

We stayed wet and homeless that night. The entire community was swallowed by the waters of the bay. Our stone church was demolished to the ground along with every single thatch and wooden house.

On the following morning, as we ventured outside we noticed that our lovely community was in ruins. The waters of the bay receded as far as a mile out. The men hunted for rum on the dry beds of the bay that was carried away from Mr. Pedro Cruz's store. The entire community feasted on pibil prepared with the dead pigs that died that night. We didn’t have portable water due to contaminated wells but we survived drinking boiled salty water.

Later that week, barges from Belize City arrived to take the homeless to shelters in Belize City. I was one of them that decided to travel to Belize City in search of food, water and a cozy bed. My family stayed in Sarteneja, they slept in the school building along with the entire community until the Government of Belize decided to help rebuild our community.