TODAY OCTOBER 31ST MARKS THE 60TH SNNIVERSARY OF THAT DREADFUL DAY IN 1961, ( Sixty years ago. )

It was a day, when one of the worst and destructive Hurricanes of that Season hit Belize City, Mullins River and Dangriga and surroundings.

The name of this Monster Hurricane, which all Belizeans, 70 years and older, WILL NEVER FORGET. was " HURRICANE HATTIE. "

I will forever remember, when I took my wife, my five babies and my in Laws, leaving in rough weather, at 11.15 PM, to the higher grounds of San Ignacio, where I was serving as Mayor and Representative.

Three days later, I led a Team of three to Belize City, ; Myself, Ramon Ramirez, District Commissioner and Sergeant of Police, David Coe. We took along with us four Public Trucks i search of food at the Marketing Board.. ( The stores in San Ignacio had been flooded. )

BUT ONE OF THE WORSE SCENES IN MY LIFE WAS TO SEE, Belize City practically destroyed. and upon further viewing, Belize looked like a giant GRAVE SITE. ( No electricity, No water, No phone and the stench from rotten mud and burning bodies.

LET US MAKE A SUPPLICATION TO GOD ALMIGHTY, THAT WE NEVER SEE, SUCH A DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY and LIFE AGAIN.

Hector Silva

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Back Den (Hurricane Hattie)

by Eugene Trench

Tency, Mehitebel & Betty were sitting on the verandah chit chatting and watching the Monday morning workers and students going to work. Tency said" lawwd e only hot fu ena October a think the lee north would a come to cool we off". Fanning with a piece of cardboard Mehitibel mentioned " da true Tency gyal e really hot thank God we're in the end of October and de Hurricane Season the look like done, how the lee nurseay rhyme go again" Betty smiled and mentioned "I remember it and she began to sing it 🎼🎼 June too soon, July & August prepare, September is here, October all over.🎼🎼 Joining her Tency & Mehitibel began humming and singing the tune. Looking down the street Betty saw her husband Nathaniel peddaling his bicycle with speed, glancing at the clock in the parlour she noticed it wasn't midday yet infact it was just midmorning. Hmmm she uttered a wanda weh Natnaniel the come home so early hope e no feel sick. Looking Tency and Mehitibel saw him coming with a speed also,"a hope so to Betty gyal" mentioned his mom. Reaching the gate he race up the stairs two steps at a time trying to catch his breath, reaching the top he sat down in his favorite chair on the verandah took off his Panama Hat and began fanning himself. " Da weh the rush fa Nathaniel" Betty said. "Yes Nathaniel we see yo the speed up like yo the ride Cross Country race" mentioned Tency and end it with a chuckle.

Breathing normal Nathaniel mentioned unu no the listen to the radio Betty, Tency & Mom wah Storm the come they already raise the Red Flag da Courthouse Wharf, we have to move fast fum board up the windows, get groceries, full up water bottles and get kerosene fu the lamps da weh David & Tommy deh a wah need help fu board up the windows" grasping what Nathaniel just mentioned the three ladies shouted in union, "Storm d come lawd" Mehitibel mentioned Tency go get some clothes and lock up yo house you can stay here with us at least our house is 10 feet off the ground and Nathaniel after 1931 Hurricane fixa up real good yo notice the cement casing around the post and the angle iron weh hold the beam we wah survive ena dis house" "Betty mek out the grocery list and mek a hurry go dah Don Matus Store go get flour, bread, batteries,kerosene, corn beef, luncheon meat, soda biscuit, potted meat, eggs, and some other tin food stuff cause we no know weh wa happen and find Tommy & David and ask them to tek out the ladder and the board from the lee warehouse with the nails after the grocery buying a wah board up, Ma put on the radio and tun up the volume a wah hear weh the weather people deh seh." Tency got up hurriedly and bid farewell to secure her little shack and belongings, "wait" Tency mentioned " before David & Tommy get the stuff fu board up a wa mek dey help yo put up yo things memba put yo stove and clothes up high pan d table and secure yo windows, David ! Tommy!" shouted Mehitibel "yes" they answered from downtairs, they were playing marbles go with Ms Tency and help her then mekase come back fu help Nathaniel . "Yes Gramma" they mentioned. Just as Nathaniel was going out with the list he heard the radio announcer mentioned " we interrupt this broadcast for a very special announcement" since Tency didnt left yet she along with Nathan, Mehitibel & Betty went closer to the radio listening, The Premier, Mr Price came on in a somber voice informing the nation that a disturbance had formed in the Caribbean and was moving in a northwesterly direction and British Honduras could be in danger, he announced all living in houses that cannot take storm breeze and high water to start packing and move to Hurricane Shelters which the government had designated, take only some clothes, water and food stuff I'm sorry no pets allowed, the Belize Weather Service will update you all". Well seems we are in for a storm mentioned Nathaniel mek a hurry go da de grocery shop before crowd come which I figured is already crowded, leaving he took the grocery bag swung it across his bicycle handle and pedalled towards the shop. Reaching the grocery shop Nathaniel uttered a few curse words under his breath damn he took off his hat and scratch his head what a crowd was already there shouting, to Don Matus and his workers wanted them to serve them first it was chaos, looking up Don Matus saw Nathaniel and wave to him to come by where he was, opening up the door which seperate the customer area from the groceries section he told Nathaniel to help gather his groceries and he will charge when hes finished that didnt went well with a few patrons and the hissing of teeth and a few not so nice words to Tony Matus . After getting his groceries a couple hours later and paid Nathaniel hurry sped back home, glancing up he notice blue skies and a light breeze blowing muttering to himself he wondered if a real storm coming because the weather so good with the sun shining and cool wind blowing, only strange thing he noticed there wasn't a bird insight not even the Jankro that usually fly high in the sky . Pedalling he hurried home to start boarding up the windows hoping David and Tommy finished helping Ms Tency and took out the boards, ladder, hammer and nails.

After windows board up the windows, water gallons filled, groceries packed the crew sat on the verandah watching the last minute shoppers and people on their way to Hurricane Shelters. Tommy and David excited about the Hurricane start to say "to get rid of Hurricane beat up Harry and tek weh e cane", this brought laughter from the elders as they knew what a Hurricane was after been through that terrible 1931 Hurricane when thousands of lives were lost. It was on September 10th when the country was celebrating the Centenary although the real Centenary was in 1898 the older folks like Tency & Mehitibel still called it that. The children had just finished marching when the weather changed and many scramble to reach home and to the shelters. The Jesuit College, St John's College was at Yarborough and when the eye of the Hurricane passed all thought it was over then a big tidal wave came with the tail of the Hurricane and drowned a lot of priests and students, Mr Price manage to survive the Hurricane by waddling through the waters until he reached safely home it was indeed a sad day for the country . Still sitting on the verandah night has set in, and the passers by became less as all were either at the designated shelters or seeking refuge at family or friends homes. Betty and Mehitibel glad Nathaniel had invested in the house by putting it high on 10 feet posts and having the posts secured in cement foundation or else they too would have joined the crowd at the shelters .

The radio was at its loudest as each update provided Nathaniel was plotting it on a Hurricane Chart he had, hmmmm this Storm seems shifting a little more north he mentioned look like we might no get wah direct hit, sounds good mentioned Betty a hope so. Around a little past midnight the lights went out and the city in total darkness the radio went out , hurry put batteries in the radio Nathaniel mentioned to her son we can't miss anything. The batteries place in the radio and all was heard was a muzzled sound it seems the damn radio station went off too let me see if I could pick up Voice Of America VOA) maybe dey Americans can update but to no avail nothing mentioned Nathaniel .

With David & Tommy snoring, Nathaniel, Betty,Tency & Mehitibel still up heard a loud bang and breeze picked up it was about 2:00a.m. Tuesday October 31st. The full force of the Hurricane made landfall with winds howling outside even the wooden house shake a bit, hmmm Tency mentioned this feel like 1931 Hurricane and even stronger, dah true Tency gyal mentioned Mehitibel definitely felt so. This wind feels over 100 miles mentioned Nathaniel this ya storm serious with worried looks all watching the Hurricane Lantern on the table like it was a Crystal Ball telling the future. Outside the wind howled with frightening noise and trees , branches and zincs off rooftops could be heard, peeping through the window Nathan could see the zincs flying through the air like kites as the lightning provided some light outside. This continued and a tidal wave seems to come at the same time, come look Nathaniel mentioned the water rising, all looking through the window they saw the water rising, coming up step by step until it reach the last step before the verandah and it seems to stop, a breath of relief came from the lookers inside. About five a.m. the rain eased to a drizzle and the winds died down to a mere cool wind, opening the front door the crowd came out and was shocked to what they saw, houses toppled, trees branches across the road, utility poles and wires crisscrossing on the streets, houses without roofs it was a disaster. All saying a prayer for being spared they sat on the verandah watching silently hoping their friends and others were ok.

Somehow the Radio Station manage to come back on year and the Premier was addressing the nation about the damages and the storm has passed, but telling all to remain in the shelters and homes as its dangerous to be outside. After the announcement Tency mentined lawwd me lee house mussi gone, no worry Tency mentioned Nathaniel you could stay ya till we know weh the damage is. Still on the verandah they silently watch the devastation and wonder weh the Premier and Govenor wah do fu help the people.

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"A young girl sifts through debris for personal belongings and walks away with part of a bed as residents of Belize begin to dig their way out of the onslaught of hurricane Hattie which struck early 10/31. UPI Telephoto"

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Jeremy A. Enriquez
After the devastation of Hurricane Hattie in October 1961, there were still the light of smiles and human connections as shown in this picture taken soon after the hurricane.

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Credit: Fr. Luke collection.

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Jeremy A. Enriquez
Aerial views of Dangriga following 1961 Hurricane Hattie. Far left back is Zabaneh at the bridge foot on Commerce Street….street coming down the river to front street then to t he market…this is north side Dangriga… The two biggest buildings are Canton on Commerce Street and Bowman on Front Street…

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Facing East towards the back of Sacred Heart Church, school and Convent of the Sisters of the Holy Family, 1961. Includes view of pier out at sea.

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The day Hattie visited Mullins River

The Wreck of Mullins River
by Constable Arthur Skeran
No. 415 Central Police Station P. T. 0.

October 31, 1961 was one of the finest days in the month for the little village of Mullins River 27 miles south of Belize. This popular resort village, only a mile in length and 100 yards wide, lay quiet, in the evening just before dusk. Then, suddenly, the cry of "Hurricane is out, Hurricane is out" echoed from the lips of the three hundred inhabitants and the scene changed swiftly. Night had just been settling in when I had returned from a day's work on my father's ranch about one and a half miles northwest of this village. The sky was darkened with a reddish glow hanging over the distant hills lying to the northwest. It was the custom of the young men to play cards and drink at one of the saloons every night. So it was on the night of the hurricane. Me, my brother and myself, were in the upstairs room of a saloon in the southern end of the village with about 15 other young men ages 15-25. We were not in the least bit troubled as we had never experienced a hurricane before and did not know what it entailed.

It was about the tenth hour when the effect of the breeze could be felt from the ordinary wind. Then the latest report from a neighboring radio said the hurricane was heading straight for British Honduras. The wind increased. The zinc of the house began to give way and it was then that the crowd in the saloon became annoyed because the rain was pouring through the roof and it stung like the bite of an ant. We then decided to go into the saloon. No sooner had we done so when the verandah along with the step came down with a crash, startling us a little. We stayed there for what seemed like days. At intervals we heard neighbouring houses going down with muffled crashes. By this time the water was rising very fast and was about two feet in the saloon. It was about the fourth hour of the morning and it was beginning to get clear. As the house was now shaking rapidly, we decided to run for the old station, one of the strongest and largest of the one hundred and fifty houses; it was about 200 yards from the saloon. One by one we emerged from the saloon, struggling over trees, zinc and pieces of houses. Fortunately, only one boy was cut on the ankle by a zinc. A few minutes later however, it was patched up by some daring females who rendered first aid to him, and later to another boy who was hit in the left eye by a whirling piece of board. Despite the howling wind, the station stood its ground but when the enormous waves slashed against it with the water about waist high in the building, it could not restrain. Down it went in pieces, leaving about seventy people to battle for their lives. However, God Almighty is a wonderful God, for by this time it was daylight and we were able to see our way. It was a piteous sight to see all the children crying so mournfully. Some of them forced their way onto trees and the waves slashed at their feet like hungry wolves. At this time it seemed as if we were experiencing the centre of the disaster for the rain was just pouring fantastically and the wind at its worst causing zincs, boards, vats and many other things to go flying like kites. Assisting as much as we could, with the children, my brother and I decided to swim inland, away from the sea.

Joined by eleven others of which two were men, one a woman, and the rest children, we swam for what I presumed to be two hours, resting at intervals with our burden, the six children. We reached a good shelter, on some trees about two feet above water and we decided to wait for the bitter end. It was about this time that I remembered Noah's flood and I thought that this must be a second one. A few minutes later my attention was attracted by two horns emerging from the water a foot and a half below. Immediately I beckoned to my nearest companion, who happened to be my brother. He tremblingly asked what this was, to which I replied that I did not know. This extraordinary creature came out of the water entirely. It had two horns on a head like that of a cat with teeth like that of a wolf on the body of a small dog. It was only visible for a few minutes. After it disappeared we stood watching each other speechlessly. Half nude, with the rain burning through our skin like sharp needles, we waded our way through the water which was now subsiding rapidly and only about waist high to the village. Arriving on the spot where the village once stood, only two buildings were visible besides the new station and the Roman Catholic mission. It was now about 3 p.m November 1. Not having anything to eat from the night, we were now very hungry. However, the only food there were cocoanuts and we ate these for about three days before we got aid from the U.S. Navy. After checking our missing people we found out that forty-three were absent. This was the worst day I ever spent in my life in the little village known as Mullin's River.