AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums Talk Belize Weather Tropical Storms & Hurricanes 1931 Hurricane Belize (British Honduras)

10th of September, 1931

The 1931 Belize hurricane was a devastating Category 4 tropical cyclone that struck British Honduras on 10 September 1931, killing an estimated 2,500 people. Although weaker than Hurricane Hattie of 1961, it remains the deadliest hurricane and natural disaster in British Honduras history. The hurricane was first detected as a tropical wave off the west coast of Africa on 29 August. Moving westward, the disturbance remained relatively weak till 6 September, when it was first classified as a tropical cyclone just west of the Windward Islands. The depression gradually intensified, reaching tropical storm intensity within the first six hours following tropical cyclogenesis. The cyclone intensified further to hurricane intensity by 8 September. Strengthening and organization remained gradual until the storm reached the Gulf of Honduras, by which time it began to rapidly intensify. The tropical cyclone quickly attained Category 4 hurricane intensity. The hurricane subsequently made landfall on Belize City on 10 September with maximum sustained winds of 135 mph (215 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 952 mbar (hPa; 28.12 inHg). Moving across the Yucatán Peninsula, the tropical cyclone weakened, and continued to weaken when it moved across the Bay of Campeche. This track brought it to a second landfall north of Tampico, Mexico as a tropical storm on 13 September. Once inland, the storm quickly weakened, and dissipated later that day.

The hurricane began as a tropical wave-a westbound low-pressure area-first observed southeast of Cape Verde on 29 August.^[1] Traversing the tropical Atlantic, the wave retained a minimum barometric pressure of about 1010 mbar (hPa; 29.83 inHg) and strengthened briefly the following day.^[2][3] By 1 September, however, the wave had become rather weak and indiscernible; it would remain as such for much of its early existence till 6 September, by which time it had moved past the Windward Islands. In this region the system became sufficiently organised to be classified as a tropical depression at 1800 UTC that same day, about north-north-west of Grenada.^[4][5] Some six hours after its inception the depression strengthened to a tropical storm over the eastern Caribbean Sea. Owing to a lack of ship observations, data on the storm were scarce in that region. The first ship to identify the storm clearly was the tanker Geo H. Jones, which recorded strong winds in conjunction with rapidly decreasing barometric pressures late on 7 September.^[4] As the storm remained north-north-westbound across the Caribbean,^[5] more ships were able to record data on the cyclone.^[2]

At 1800 UTC on September 8, the tropical storm attained hurricane intensity. Intensification remained gradual until the hurricane moved into the Gulf of Honduras by September 10, when the hurricane began to rapidly intensify. At 0000 UTC on September 10, the cyclone intensified into a Category 2 hurricane. The storm strengthened further before reaching its peak intensity with as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 135 mph (215 km/h) at 1800 UTC.^[5] The strong hurricane made landfall on Belize City at the same intensity two hours later. A barometer in the city recorded a minimum pressure of 952 mbar (hPa; 28.12 mbar); this was the lowest barometric pressure measured in association with the storm.^[2] The hurricane substantially weakened over the Yucatán Peninsula, and had weakened to tropical storm strength by the time it had entered the Bay of Campeche. Despite moving back over water, the tropical cyclone continued to weaken in the bay,^[5] and made its final landfall roughly 60-70 mi (95-110 km) north of Tampico, Mexico with winds of 40 mph (65 km/h) at around 0000 UTC on September 13.^[2] Over the mountainous terrain of Mexico, the storm quickly weakened, and dissipated later on September 13.^[5]

Preparations, impact, and aftermath

Convent in Belize City after the hurricane. St. Catherine Academy elevated cement vat at the left. The picture above is where my father and his family went to shelter for the hurricane. He was three years old and remembers going across holding his father's hand and his twin sister, Sr. Yvonne, holding her mother's hand. They crossed back to their home during the eye thinking it was over and the convent collapsed, killing 22 nuns. Their home survived but came down in Hurricane Hattie. Yvonne Paulette Hunter Romero

September 10, the day of the hurricane, is also a national holiday for British Honduras, on which many locals gather in the streets to celebrate the defeat of Spanish conquerors by the British in 1798.^[6] It is widely believed that the hurricane struck without any warning, although some recent historians have disputed this. In his column for The Belize Times on September 5, 2004, Emory King claimed that Belizean authorities withheld continuous warnings from U.S. ships in the region of a possible hurricane strike on British Honduras so the festivities would not be interrupted.^[7] King cited as evidence a letter dated September 24, 1931, from a local radio operator to the Colonial Secretary in which the warnings were discussed, adding that "perhaps none of [the authorities] had ever been in a hurricane and didn't know exactly how bad it was going to be."^[8]

• Government radio facilities in Belize City were cut out during the storm.^[9]
• In Tela, Honduras, the hurricane's effects destroyed the city, killing 150 people and rendering many others homeless.^[9]
• Several American priests in Belize City were killed during the storm.^[10]

• The British government requested for the United States to send vessels to assist those effected by the storm.^[9]
• The USS Swan (AM-34), stationed at nearby Trujillo, Honduras was dispatched to send aid to British Honduras.^[9]
• U.S. President Herbert Hoover ordered the United States Navy and American Red Cross to cooperate in relief efforts.^[9]
• Both agencies and organizations ordered a United States Marine Corps plane from Managua, Nicaragua to send $2,500 worth of medical supplies to effected areas of British Honduras.^[9]

Wikipedia

---

Aftermath of the 1931 Hurricane that hit Corozal Town.

In Channel 5 News interview with then reporter Anne-Marie Williams, Emory King claimed that to have debunked the myth that the hurricane came without any warning and that the British governor was more focused on celebrating the battle of St. George's Caye (he cited newspaperman Ernest Cain , who also wrote a book about Hurricane Hattie). In a June 20 1999 edition of the Amandala, one Lilian Jones Crawford also gave account of the hurricane and the 10th parade being cancelled.

What we can say about the role of the 10th parade in this natural event becoming a natural disaster is that the story of the colonial authorities withholding warnings - so the festivities would not be interrupted is part - became part of the political battle fought over the Battle of St. George's Caye starting with the emergence of the nationalist movement in the 1950s.

The other fact concerning the 1931 hurricane involves the number of casualties. While it was the natural disaster with the highest death toll in British Honduras/Belize's history, I think this death toll requires some scrutiny. (The category 4 hurricane that hit Galveston, Texas on September 8, 1900 killed around 8,000 individuals). The number of deaths were reported to be between 2,000 to 2,500, but I thing some might have been double counted.

Cain, Ernest E. 1933. Cyclone! Being an Illustrated Official Record of the Hurricane and Tidal Wave which Destroyed the City of Belize (British Honduras) on the colony's birthday, 10th September 1931.Ilfracombe, UK: Arthur H. Stockwell, Ltd.

1931 Hurricane myth disputed

What do you know about the 1931 Hurricane? Probably not much except that it came without warning and caused massive destruction. Well if you’re one of those persons, what you’re about to see and hear might just shock you.

Ann-Marie Williams, Reporting

For almost seven decades we’ve heard from our ancestors and teachers that the 1931 Hurricane, which claimed over two thousand lives and ravaged Belize Town without warning. That tale, however, is being challenged by The Belize Historical Society. The organisation under the presidency of Emory King has published an archival piece entitled “The Hurricane of 1931″ which debunks that myth.

Emory King, President, Belize Historical Society

“Well, it’s absolutely incredible that the people who were in charge of the safety of the people of this country would have ignored continuous warnings for three days that a hurricane was coming. That the storm was coming, that ships were fleeing from the Caribbean and to ports and to just say… Well I don’t know what they said, but the result was that the authorities, the governor, the Colonial Secretary and the members of the executive council decided that they wouldn’t tell anybody about the hurricane, just go on with the parade for the Tenth of September and the school children’s’ outing and the friendly society march. The result was that two thousand people got killed.”

The two thousand people killed in the hurricane, property damage, along with the numerous warnings that the then Colonial Secretary Pillings ignored, were stated in a letter that Donald N. A. Fairweather, radio operator at the time, wrote to Pillings on September twenty-fourth, 1931.

King found the letter in the archives and decided to make it public knowledge two weeks before Hurricane Keith.

Emory King

“I found it in a book called “Cyclone” by Ernest E. Cain. Mr. Cain was the editor of the Belize Independent Newspaper and he was also an author along with Monrad Metskin. They published the handbook of British Honduras in 1925 and he had published his newspaper for many years prior to that. He was very, very, touched by the disaster and the loss of life by the hurricane and wrote this book. He compiled as much information about the hurricane and called the book “Cyclone.” He also has that official report from Fairweather to the Colonial Secretary two weeks after the storm was over documenting; virtually day by day, hour by hour, the report that they were getting from Washington and New Orleans from ships at sea warning that the storm was coming and will probably hit British Honduras and possibly Belize Town on Thursday the tenth of September.”

The article states that the first report of the storm was received on Tuesday morning, September eighth. It was reported as a tropical disturbance of moderate intensity, one hundred and fifty miles south of Kingston, Jamaica, moving west northwestward over the Caribbean Sea. When the ominous message came that three hurricanes would move across British Honduras near Belize early in the afternoon of September tenth, Fairweather had already posted several notices at the foot of the swing bridge. However, during a time of celebration and merrymaking, who would have time to pay attention to notices at the bridge? And what would be the motive for the authorities not to inform the masses of an impending hurricane?

Emory King

“Perhaps none of them had ever been in a hurricane and didn’t know exactly how bad it was going to be, couldn’t conceive of the destruction of this town and some of the out-lying cayes like St. George’s Caye. A number of very prominent families were utterly destroyed on St. George’s Caye and here in the city, two thousand people. Some entire sections of town like Queen Charlotte Town, wiped out almost to the last person, very, very few survivors. St. John’s College went down; Wesley College went down, Wesley Church, St. Mary’s Church on and on. It was a major disaster.”

It’s hoped that the article will help to clear the air about the age-old myth that the 1931 hurricane came without any warning.

Emory King

“For the past fifty years or more everybody said that the hurricane hit without any warning. We didn’t know it was coming. It mashed up the city and killed all those people because they didn’t name storms in those days. We didn’t have radar and there was no communication. I spoke to several professors of history here in the city who said “Oh yes, that’s right here was no warning.” Absolutely not. I spoke to politicians and civil servants “No, no. We didn’t have warning, we didn’t know.” Now these people were not alive at the time so they are only saying what people told them. What they hear from their parents and school teachers.”

And what they heard is simply not so! At least from the piece of history D.N.A. Fairweather documented. Ann-Marie Williams for News Five.

We’d just like to remind you that we’re still in the hurricane season; it doesn’t end until November thirtieth

Comments....

Hi – I came across this article after visiting the Belize museum last week during my latest visit back home to Belize. I now live in the States and have lived here since leaving Belize (British Honduras) back in ’73. I was born in Belize City (Haylock Family – related to Alfred Haylock).

I find the article very interesting because my Grandmother sat us down every year(sometimes three to four times a year) and told us the story of the 1931 and 1961 Hurricane (I was 1.5 months old and survived the 1961 hurricane (we lived on Far West Street).

As far as warning – she told us that everyone was going to march that day and the parade was on. If there were any warnings, no one got the message or just did not pay attention, which may support mr. King’s view. I can remember 10th of September parade day when I was growing up and can tell you that all we cared about was the parade and partying, thus I can imagine folks back then just ignoring another “Front” that was coming in and more focused on the parade. Now I do remember my Grandmother telling me this fact. After the first storm came, the tide was low and exposed a lot stuff for folks to go and pick up and inspect out of curiosity. Unknown to them, this was a sign that a tidal wave was coming and the end result was the deaths of hundreds…lots of kids…very sad.

Steve

Hi
I wa\s very interested in this article and in Steve’s post. My father Wallace Burns came to the UK as a 19 year old in 1941. He had brothers called Ernest and Arthur. – I never met my grandparents but remember writing to them in the 1950/60s. I think their last address was corner of Dean Street and Amara Avenue, earlier addresses included King Street and Far West Street.
My dad told me he was on the beach the day of the tidal wave. He was 9 years old and described it as; “the sea disappeared and the fish flapped on the dry sea floor, and when the wave came back it was so big it licked the sky”. He took refuge in the church. He described how they couldn’t cope with the dead and resorted to pouring petrol over the bodies and burning them in the street. The heat from the flames made one body rise on its feet and skim across the water towards him. That must have been terrifying for a 9 year old. Unfortunately I’ve lost touch with the family, but would welcome any information.

Oct 31, 2000, Channel 5 News

---

AMANDALA Belize
Sunday, June 20, 1999
--- by Lilian Jones Crawford

I was 11 years old, but I can still remember as if it were yesterday, when the hurricane hit Belize on the 10th of September, 1931. I attended St. Mary's School. Around August everybody was in glee, especially the children, happy that the 10th was coming, when we would all march through the streets with our red, white and blue flags, straw hats, white uniforms, and white tennis.

I have to mention some of the teachers. I suppose some of them are still alive, but aged. I remember Miss Hilda Foreman, Miss Louise Longsworth, Miss Adela Bradley, and the headmaster, Mr. George Griffith. He was very strict and stern.

Now let me tell you about the 1931 hurricane. People were waiting to see, and the rumour started in August that a hurricane would come to Belize. Most of the population had never witnessed one.

The 9th night was a clear, starry night. In those days, the fireworks used to be up at the Fort, and people gathered at the Courthouse Wharf and along Foreshore to watch and enjoy the beautiful fireworks. There was no sign of rain until about 6 o'clock the Tenth morning when a light, drizzling rain began. Even though it was raining, people were still getting ready to parade. The parade route was up Albert Street, turning around Government House down Regent, crossing over Swing Bridge, up Queen Street, turning up Barracks Road, right on to the Tamarind Tree, which is now Lindbergh Landing.

All the children went to their various schools. The rains never came as one big shower. It would rain and stop, rain and stop. The bands were right there, al1 of us children ready to march, and then sadness and disappointment came. All the happiness turned to sadness when the headmaster, Mr. Griffith, got on the stage and said there would be no marching.

Everyone was to go home (that was around 9:30am the morning), because a hurricane would be hitting Belize in a half an hour time.

It did come. The storm, which lasted about an hour and a half, left some houses roofless and blew down some fences and trees. St. John's College was situated by the seaside up at Loyola Park over Yarborough Bridge. The building was a large, three storey, wooden structure, and went down in the first storm, as also did St. Andrew's Hall, which was situated corner of Prince and Albert Streets.

After the storm passed, people came out to view the wreckage. Then something strange and unusual happened. The storm swung right back, but with more force, bringing a tidal wave about 10 feet high, which swept over the city of Belize, leaving 2,000 dead and thousands more homeless. The most devastated area was the Yarborough area.

If it was not for the water, many people would have survived. Most people who died were trapped under houses and died from drowning, including 11 Catholic priests.

The 11th morning dawned with people looking for their children, some for their parents. All you could see was debris, dead people, houses on the street, everything in one. A lady that I knew, Mrs. Harmon, lost her husband and 5 children. Only she survived. How sad!

I was living with my parents on West Street, but the storm caught us over the Pound Yard Bridge. We were trapped downstairs of a two storey house. It took us three hours from Pound Yard to West Street. We had to walk over houses, climb over trees, over boats, even dead people.

Finally they started to dig mass graves to bury the dead, right in front of Pound Yard where the gas station is today.

After that, people started to pick up the pieces and put them together by the grace of God, and the rest is history.

{Ed. NOTE: Mrs. Lillian Jones Crawford lives in Orange Walk Town. She is the mother of famous Orange Walk footballer, Elvis "Cricket" Crawford.)

Sept. 10th, 1931

It was in the morning during the annual celebration of the Battle of St. George's Caye, parade that the Hurricane came ashore and destroyed Belize City.

It was due to the belief amongst the City residents that the barrier reef would take the sting out of any approaching tidal wave, and it was the casualness which was responsible for the high death toll of almost 1000 of the the City's 15,000 population who died in the hurricane.

A view from Battlefield Park (downtown Belize City) after the 1931 hurricane. Folks waiting for food rations.

The Hurricane of 1931 was one of the first in modern times and the worst in our history. Destruction and more than two thousand lives were lost.

1888 Feb. 2nd: Foundation stone St Mary's Church laid.
1890 March 18th: St. Mary's Church (New) consecrated by Bishop Donet of Jamaica

1931 Sept. 10th, St. Mary Church, destroyed in the Hurricane.

1830 the first Wesleyan Chapel (wooden) erected. 1865 Wesleyan Chapel destroyed by fire.
1866 Dec. 23rd. New Wesleyan Church , Belize, opened for public worship. Sermon by Revd. Edward P. Webb.
Mr. & Mrs. John Leslie, celebrated what was believed to be Belize's oldest wedding anniversary, in Nov. 1977.
The couple were married at Wesleyan Church in 1907.

Wesleyan Church, on Albert Street, said to be the most beautiful building in Belize, did not survive. Many persons were trapped inside and were drowned by rising water.

St. John's College, Layola Park: On July the 16th, 1917 the classes were removed from the premises near the Most Holy Redeemer Cathedral to this new building erected at Loyola Park.

St. John Berchman College, in its Heyday. The finest in Central America, heading confidently to University Status.

St. John's College

St. John's College, totally destroyed by the 1931 Hurricane which took the lives of many Priests and Scholastics.

St. John's College

A view from Yabra, with St. John Cathedral at a distant on the top left side, after the 1931 hurricane

Yabra

View of roofless Holy Redeemer Cathedral on the left on North Front Street showing Hyde's Lane intersection.

The front gate of the Mercy Convent after 1931 Hurricane. The fence, gate, archway, and walkway are still there today! The Grove, house at the far left.

Mercy Convent, still in the same location then as now, was so badly mauled, it had to be rebuilt.

Looking South from the Courthouse

Deadliest Hurricane to Hit Belize

As many as 2,500 lives lost in Belize City. Take a look at this feature story created using a Geo App. Good information, lots of good photographs.

"The storm, which lasted about an hour and a half, left some houses roofless and blew down some fences and trees. St. John's College was situated by the seaside up at Loyola Park over Yarborough Bridge. The building was a large, three storey, wooden structure, and went down in the first storm, as also did St. Andrew's Hall, which was situated corner of Prince and Albert Streets.

After the storm passed, people came out to view the wreckage. Then something strange and unusual happened. The storm swung right back, but with more force, bringing a tidal wave about 10 feet high, which swept over the city of Belize, leaving 2,000 dead and thousands more homeless. The most devastated area was the Yarborough area. "

The 1931 hurricane also coincided with The Great Depression, setting the residents of Belize City back decades as they struggled to rebuild their lives. The era was marked by an intense struggle to uplift the working class and unemployment.

Click here for the whole report, and lots of historical photos.

This hurricane hit on 10 September, which is statistically also the peak of Atlantic hurricane season.

It's the 15th but hea what's a few days? It's a great time to pull the boats and go on vacation for folks who live on the islands.

My bad. And my birthday!

Today, we give you an excerpt from the book Cyclone written by Ernest E. Cain. It documents the arrival of the catastrophic Category 4 hurricane which devastated Belize on 10th September, 1931, normally a day of fanfare and merriment. We urge everyone to keep in mind how truly blessed we are as we approach our Tenth of September Celebrations. Have a fun and save weekend whether you spend it inside hiding from the hot sun or patiently waiting for the Carnival to arrive at your viewing spot. Have a beautiful and blessed Tenth everyone! Happy Battle of St. George's Caye Day!

Destruction of the convent at St. Catherine Academy

Amateur home movie of British Honduras after Hurricane of 1931
After effects of Hurricane. Damage after. British colonial car loaded onto ferry. Railway. Belize City devastated. Choppy waves at sea from boat. Wind bending palm trees. Empty small boat bobbing. Ships launch. Still pictures of devastation and panoramic sweeps. Ships on dry land. Many vultures in trees. Ruined church. Houses upside-down. Belize guard of honour. Flag. Manual workers pulling ferry across river on ropes with chauffeur. Pith helmets of British civil servants. Narrow gauge railway - open and passengers sit sideways on four seater motor driven car on tracks.. Bridge. Natives. Pig.

Getting a glimse of Belize City in the 1930's using the Huntley's Film Archives. At around 8:26 you will see the ferry that was used before the Haluover Bridge was built. The area and the bridge was called Haulover because that is where the logs were hauled over after floating down the river. Driving over the Haulover Bridge going North on the right hand side on the banks of the river, one will notice a slab of concrete. I always wondered what that was used for. According to the film ( at 8:26), that was where the ferry docked as it came across the river.

Other interesting shots in the film is the Government House with some of the other buildings that were on the property before the 1931 hurricane. Loyola Park before and after the same hurricane.

====================================


Surface weather analysis of the hurricane on 10 September

====================================

We may have heard many stories of how people survived the 1931 hurricane. Below is a short biography of how George Cadle Price survived that hurricane.

September Tenth, a SAD DAY

George Price at age 12 had been boarding at the St. John's College for about three months when...

"The hurricane struck on the afternoon of September 10. It blew from the northwest. The large wooden building of three stories rested on concrete posts that were not reinforced with steel rods. It leaned and collapsed with the terrifying noise of thunder.

Along with some boarders and their teachers, George Price ran out before the building crumbled. They took shelter behind calm and sunlight for some minutes.

During the lull, Karl Kittiel came from town on his bicycle. He took George on the bicycle and rode to the Kittiel home on Albert Street. On the way the second half of the hurricane struck blowing from the southeast and brought back the sea in a huge tidal wave 13 feet high.

The houses began to shake. The people got out and took refuge in a bakery that was next to the Wesley Church the upper part of the church fell on the bakery. George heard the sound of thunder and got out in time.

After two narrow escapes from falling buildings, his 12 year old mind thought of home on Pickstock Street as a safe place and there he would go. Albert Street was flooded by the tidal wave. He swam toward the swing bridge and took shelter in the lobby of the Palace Theatre.

Towards nightfall the hurricane passed. With the help of Mr. Ronald Young he reached his home to see the house on the ground blown down off its brick posts." Meg and Musa, 2004, pp. 9-10.

P.S. This short excerpt is loaded with information about the 1931 hurricane. Before, we only had pictures and had to make quests about what occurred during that hurricane. This excerpt really cleared up a few things along with a timeline of how things happened. We have the before and after photos of the two buildings that Mr. Price spoke about during his ordeal. The first is Loyola Park where he was for the first half of the Hurricane. The second picture is that of the collapsed Loyola Park. It was always the belief that the tidal wave had washed away Loyola Park, but from the excerpt, it seemed that the building collapsed before the tidal wave came. It collapsed from the wind coming from the rear or Northwest. The strong Northeast wind blew the sea out away for the coast for the first half of the hurricane and after the eye passed, the wind came from the Southeast which brought back the sea in the form of a 13 foot tidal wave nd must have washed everything else that the wind did not blew down. Must have been a devastating sight to have seen. The third picture is that of Big Wesley which fell on the bakery that Mr. Price had taken refuge in after he abandoned the collapsed Loyola Park Building. The fourth picture is that of Big Wesley after the collapse. We now have a better idea of what transpired.

Credit: Rolando Cocom of the History Association











US Consulate on the left, the Consul Giles Taggart was found in the building in 4 ft of water , he later died from his injuries.



Last week Consul Giles Russell Taggart, technically on leave, died at his post in Belize, British Honduras, from injuries sustained in last fortnight's hurricane (TIME. Sept. 21). Grieved, Secretary of State Henry Lewis Stimson announced...



Holy Redeemer Cathedral, the caption on the photo says 1931 so it seems that the church was literally destroyed in that hurricane. I know from the Biography of George Price during the 1931 Hurricane he was trying to find his way to his family home on Pickstock street after Loyola Park had been destroyed and he said he could not pass Holy Redeemer because the Cathedral had collapsed and the debris was blocking the street. So, he had to circle back and go down Queen Street where he took shelter at an Aunt's house.

===========

It was September 10, 1931 that hurricane struck Belize killing more than 2,000 people and destroying many homes and buildings.

This part recounts how the famous East Indian community of Queen Charlotte Town, near Yabra in Belize City, was severely destroyed by the storm.

"It happened on St. George's Caye day, when the entire city turned out for parades and outings to the cayes and other areas. When the storm was over at least two thousand were dead and the city had been flattened.

Hardest hit was the southern shore, in particular the Jesuit school at Loyola Park and the East Indian community at Queen Charlotte Town. By the late afternoon it was clear that the community had been decimated. Entire families disappeared.

One member of the Dena family was carried by the tidal wave from the Yarborough cemetery to that at Lords Ridge, over a mile away.

Gradually some families returned to build, but from then on, and particularly after Dr. Lind's fire in the 1950s and Hurricane Hattie in 1961, the area has become predominantly Creole with some East Indian admixture.

Today some names survive (Sepal, Monroe), but the distinctive cultural area is no more. Barakat, Ramey, Moroe and Mohammed Ali survive as street names in the area." - Robinson, 2006

QUOTE: St. John Robinson (2006). Peopling Belize: Chapters in Migration. NICH, Belize.

THE STRENGTH OF A MAN IN BELIZE'S "1931 HURRICANE"!

by Bilal Morris

My mother told me that during the "1931 Hurricane" in Belize, she was just a little girl. She said that the powerful waves were like tidal waves, and that the whole sea appeared to have come upon the land in Belize City. She said that when the rain hit her skin during the day that turned into night, it felt like a burning fire. And that a cutting wind blew hauntingly like it was the end of the world.

These powerful narratives told by these Belizean elders who have lived to tell the tale of one of the most powerful storms that had ever hit the former British Honduras now Belize, and destroyed it to rubble, can only come through the way of eyewitness accounts such as this. There were no weather reports except what may have been coming off the colonial British Air Forces radio in Belize. And there was no account at all that such a media was reporting the weather in Belize in those days? So that my mother's own story told to her children, was that of her dear beloved brother, Clarence Smith, who saved her life as a child, swimming with her on his back through the tidal waves of a hurricane that may have killed more Belizeans in history than Hurricane Haitti and all the other storms that have land ashore in Belize.

The 1931 10th. of September celebrations parade for Belizean school children was in full swing in Belize City when the sky got dark and there was no warning at all to the people of British Honduras to evacuate because danger was near. My mother remarked that it started to rain thereafter, and as the strong winds blew away anything it in its path, people started to scatter, and that was when she didn't know when her little bag of refreshments that they gave the Belizean school children at the celebrations had vanished out of her hands. The commotion she said that followed was like the day of judgement had come, and people got lost one from the other in confusion, terror, and fright. She said that she can only remember her brother in finding her, grabbing her by the hands, and running towards safety. Later, what followed was a sea of water like a Tsunami just engulfing the city where they stood. And that she can remember holding on tightly to her brother's back as he swam with her through flooded waters in search of safety.

She remembered them dropping into a well, and as he climbed out frantically, he grabbed her by the hand, and raised her up above the well, to start swimming again. As he swam, frighten from the element of surprise that had come like a calamity of punishment upon the Caribbean shores of Belize, she said she heard him say, "Nuh hold me so tight, cause a wahn let yo go!" She vividly remarked that as he said that, she held him even tighter. She told me, as tears ran down her face, that he never did let her go, despite of the stinging rain and rising storm waters that banged them around barbwires, flying old zinc, and through a terrifying and howling wind. While they managed to rest a while by stopping and holding on to a tree above the water, he told her that they have to try and find their mother.

My mother said as she peeped through the faint light in the darkness of the angry storm from the tree above at the carnage that the hurricane had inflicted so quickly, she saw a dead woman hanging from a fence with her skin torn off by the barbwire around it. She said beside the dead woman was also a dead baby also with her skin torn off. It had appeared she said, that they were trying to cross the fence when they may have got tangled in the cutting blades of wire. She expressed that the wind blew around in the air old rusty zinc in the former old Belize capital like pieces of paper. It was a dangerous thing, she said, for anyone like them who were swimming through the storm for their lives. They could have been killed by the flying debris. As they rested on the tree, her brother mentioned to her to stay there for safety while he go and try to find their mother. As he dismounted from the tree back into the water to launch the search, she said it was not too long before he had returned for her to say that their mother was safe and alive at the Belize, "Scotch Church", near the "Belize Court House Wharf".

At the moment of the their reunion, my mother told me a starling story that stayed with me up to today. She said that her mother in describing the horrors of the storm at the church where they had sought refuge, said that she and a dumb woman was together for a moment during the storm, and that she plainly heard the woman said to her, "Lest go ova deh!" In reflecting on such a strange thing, it made me wonder what the terror of a storm like the, "1931 Hurricane", may have been like for those Belizeans like my mother who have lived to talk about it. It was as if such a storm in those days didn't even have a name, as though at the time the unpredictability of that one came like a thief in the night. More so, it is a very emotional narrative for me to tell that my late and beloved, Uncle Clarence, had the bravery and strength to rescue his little sister so that my mother could have lived. Throughout the years, yours truly have felt this deep love for my beloved uncle who dared and defied a raging storm so that we could be. May God bless his soul!

(Photo through the courtesy of my cousin Aloma Smith)

There are only 10% or 32,000 Belizeans alive today when Hurricane Hattie struck in 1961 and only .2% or 804 when the 1931 hurricane struck. Based on the statistics, I believe I would be correct to say that a very large portion of our population have no idea what a category four or five hurricane hitting Belize City would be like. Richard and Earl were child's play.

When the Europeans (Pirates) arrived at our shore (British Honduras) in 1638, they found our little peninsula deserted, no Mayas and no Spanish. However, that is exactly what our ancestors loved about their new haunts. It is my opinion that the reason why there might not have been anyone on the peninsula we now inhabit is because of the history of the area. The Mayas might have known it, the Spanish might have known it and George Prize realized it. What they could have known was that our little peninsula has been inundated at regular intervals by catastrophic tsunamis. George Price realize this fact after Hattie in 1961 and tried to move the capital and it took him thirteen years to do it; however, our ancestors were too rooted in our little peninsula and would not move for anything.

The fact remains and it is inevitable that we will be visited by another catastrophic tsunami sometime in the future. It has been 88 years since the last one. Most of our 75,000 Belize City population will be able to move to higher ground, or out of the city, so the lost of life will not be as severe as it was in 1931 (2,500 dead). However, we cannot move our infrastructure. Northside might do a little better because of better building codes, but most of Southside remains pretty much the way it was in 1961.

Future mega tsunamis caused by a hurricane will come from the southeast (Southside) again. This should not be confused with a hurricane's tidal surge which is a more gradual tidal increase. I believe Hattie brought a tidal surge with the same amount of water (9 to 15 feet) but with less force, but the 1931 hurricane brought a tsunami. We are more susceptible to a tsunami because of two things; one, we are a peninsula and; two, have lots of shallow water in front of us. Tsunamis created by a hurricane love peninsulas and shallow water. Any category 3 to 5 hurricane coming from the southeast as did the 1931 hurricane with a direct hit over Belize City will surely bring another tsunami (see my graphical illustration of the 1931 hurricane uploaded).

In preparation, all we can do is to never forget and never become complacent. We must prepare, prepare, plan and plan. My Recommendation is that we move all critical food supply and equipment up to Ladyville permanently including another NEMO office. Everyone will be going to Belmopan and Belmopan will be cut-off and run out of food very quickly. Had Mitch struck Belize there would have been a humanitarian crisis in Belmopan. A large portion of the food and aid will come into the country through Philip Goldson, so the coordination has to be done near the supply. Invest and build in Ladyville!

According to C.H. Godden, a deputy Colonial Secretary in the early 1960's, upon his arrival to British Honduras some 30 years after the 1931 hurricane, locals were still in a state of shock, and were still talking about the hurricane as though it had occurred the day before. Little did he know he would experience an equally devastating hurricane one year after his arrival.

Least we forget, below are two oral histories of the 1931 Hurricane.

I was 11 years old, but I can still remember as if it were yesterday, when the hurricane hit Belize on the 10th of September, 1931. I attended St. Mary's School. Around August everybody was in glee, especially the children, happy that the 10th was coming, when we would all march through the streets with our red, white and blue flags, straw hats, white uniforms, and white tennis.

I have to mention some of the teachers. I suppose some of them are still alive, but aged. I remember Miss Hilda Foreman, Miss Louise Longsworth, Miss Adela Bradley, and the headmaster, Mr. George Griffith. He was very strict and stern.

Now let me tell you about the 1931 hurricane. People were waiting to see, and the rumour started in August that a hurricane would come to Belize. Most of the population had never witnessed one.

The 9th night was a clear, starry night. In those days, the fireworks used to be up at the Fort, and people gathered at the Courthouse Wharf and along Foreshore to watch and enjoy the beautiful fireworks. There was no sign of rain until about 6 o'clock the Tenth morning when a light, drizzling rain began. Even though it was raining, people were still getting ready to parade. The parade route was up Albert Street, turning around Government House down Regent, crossing over Swing Bridge, up Queen Street, turning up Barracks Road, right on to the Tamarind Tree, which is now Lindbergh Landing.

All the children went to their various schools. The rains never came as one big shower. It would rain and stop, rain and stop. The bands were right there, all of us children ready to march, and then sadness and disappointment came. All the happiness turned to sadness when the headmaster, Mr. Griffith, got on the stage and said there would be no marching.

Everyone was to go home (that was around 9:30am the morning), because a hurricane would be hitting Belize in a half an hour time.

It did come. The storm, which lasted about an hour and a half, left some houses roofless and blew down some fences and trees. St. John's College was situated by the seaside up at Loyola Park over Yarborough Bridge. The building was a large, three storey, wooden structure, and went down in the first storm, as also did St. Andrew's Hall, which was situated corner of Prince and Albert Streets.

After the storm passed, people came out to view the wreckage. Then something strange and unusual happened. The storm swung right back, but with more force, bringing a tidal wave about 10 feet high, which swept over the city of Belize, leaving 2,000 dead and thousands more homeless. The most devastated area was the Yarborough area.

If it was not for the water, many people would have survived. Most people who died were trapped under houses and died from drowning, including 11 Catholic priests.

The 11th morning dawned with people looking for their children, some for their parents. All you could see was debris, dead people, houses on the street, everything in one. A lady that I knew, Mrs. Harmon, lost her husband and 5 children. Only she survived. How sad!

I was living with my parents on West Street, but the storm caught us over the Pound Yard Bridge. We were trapped downstairs of a two storey house. It took us three hours from Pound Yard to West Street. We had to walk over houses, climb over trees, over boats, even dead people.

Finally they started to dig mass graves to bury the dead, right in front of Pound Yard where the gas station is today.

After that, people started to pick up the pieces and put them together by the grace of God, and the rest is history.

{Ed. NOTE: Mrs. Lillian Jones Crawford lives in Orange Walk Town. She is the mother of famous Orange Walk footballer, Elvis "Cricket" Crawford.)

Source: AMANDALA Belize Sunday, June 20, 1999

--- by Lilian Jones Crawford

Another Experience:

My dad told me he was on the beach the day of the tidal wave. He was 9 years old and described it as; "the sea disappeared and the fish flapped on the dry sea floor, and when the wave came back it was so big it licked the sky". He took refuge in the church. He described how they couldn't cope with the dead and resorted to pouring petrol over the bodies and burning them in the street. The heat from the flames made one body rise on its feet and skim across the water towards him. That must have been terrifying for a 9 year old.

Source: Oct 31, 2000 Channel Five

Based on the various oral history of the hurricane I am adding a graphical illustration of what might have caused the tsunami that killed most of the people in 1931.

By The Belize City House of Culture and Downtown Rejuvenation Project

---

Let us take a few moments to remember that today is also the 88th anniversary of the 1931 Hurricane, and on that day, we lost 2500 British Honduran souls. The 1931 hurricane also created many heroes. I am sure some of us know some family member that did something heroic in that hurricane. Let's remember them too. As I stood on Douglas Jones Street near the Belchina bridge this morning waiting for the parade to pass, I couldn't help but think that in 1931, British Hondurans must have been lining the streets waiting for the parade to pass similar to us. The day must have started as beautiful as it was today, but little did they know, that the life as they knew it, would have been changed forever within a few hours, and the course of history in British Honduras would also be changed forever.

For us to understand the impact of the 1931 hurricane, let's analyze the numbers. Belize has been struck by two of the hemisphere's worse hurricanes, the #5 1931 hurricane and Hattie. These two beasts killed some 2900 British Hondurans in a matter of six hours combined; 2,500 in 1931 and about 400 in Hattie. When we hear the numbers for the 1931 hurricane, it may sound like a relatively small number compared to people that have died in other disasters around the world; however, when you compare those numbers to our total population of that time (1931), you realize the how significant that 2,500 was.

In 1930, the total population of the entire country was about 50,000 people. I would estimate that of that 50,000, about 30,000, or less, would have been living in Belize City. How significant was that total? The death toll was a staggering 8.3% of the city's population. If we compare our death toll to the death toll of the number of people who died in the Sumatra Tsunami a few years ago, which was about 200,000 people, we would say our number is insignificant, until you realize that Sumatra has a population of 50,000,000 people. If they had lost 8.3% of their population, we would be looking at 4.1 million people dead instead of 200,000. I believe that is how we should look at our loss, as a percentage of population, and not only as a number killed. If we extrapolate that 2,500 people to today, that 2,500 would have grown to some 19,000 (est.) people. That is 1/3 of the current city's population. Think about how many lawyers, doctors, teachers, nurses, entrepreneurs and engineers we could have gotten from that population.

HR>

Yesterday, I took a walk out by the Yarborough Football Field to take the photos I am using for this post. As I stood at the point where the field met with the property of Wesley College, I looked at the Sea. The sea was very calm and dark. It looked as if someone had placed a sheet of ice over it which was quite the opposite of how that part of the sea is most of the time. In the distance, I could see a lonely cruise ship. I wondered about all of the fun those passengers must have been having on board.

I could not help but think about how in 1931 that same sea that seemed so calm and peaceful must have dried up all the way out to the point of the Port of Belize pier and hundreds of unsuspecting people walked out to look at the exposed seabed. In the distance, they must have seen a line of something white covering the horizon. Not knowing what it was, they must have continued to marvel at all of the fish jumping on the exposed seafloor. Little did they know that the sea was returning with a twelve-foot wall of water which would eventually wash into the city about five streets in and killing thousands. As one survivor described it: "It looked like the wave licked the sky". The Yarborough and the Queen Charlotte areas took the brunt of the tsunami's wrath.

The two photos below are the aftermath of how Yarborough looked when the tsunami came ashore. That tragedy was only a small part of the many things that happened in this area.

1931 From Yarborough looking towards St. John's Cathedral after the 13' tsunami came through.

The Belize City House of Culture and Downtown Rejuvenation Project

---

We know it is only a matter of time before it happens again. All we can do is prepare for it and learn from our experiences.. I think North side would do better because many of the houses are made of concrete, but in South side some of the house have been there since Hattie and ready to fall. It is these house that cause most of the destruction as they start breaking up during the storm. We can't do anything about the water. Just get out of the let it do what it will do. However, I suspect where you were in the city the tidal surge may have been different. For example, if you lived in the Buttonwood area that area may have experienced a different tidal surge.. It all depends on the direction the hurricane is coming in. Different directions will have different effects on tidal surge in the city because we are a pininsular. . I think we need to get a little more sufisticated when it comes to prediction of tidal surge because it does affect different parts of the city differently.. If we look at the tidal surge from Richard and Earl they were different. People living in Vista Del Mar didn't think they would get a tidal surge, but they got one with Earl, but none with Richard.. I guess when the big one coming the best thing to do is just make sure you are above 15 feet and you have access to 20 or 25 feet because a category five will bring 25 feet of water. So you need to know what is your elevation in the city. Parts of the city is high like by the Shell station on the boulevard is 9 feet above sea level I was told. We need to have elevation maps for the entire city so we know which area needs to have mandatory evacuations even if you have a two story house because depending where you live that might not be enough. What I would like to see are tidal surge warnings poles located at various parts of the city which will show the residence how high water will go in their area based on the category of the Hurricane. A category five will bring water that will submerge most two story houses in downtown and people need to see that.

Regent Albert

---

The 1931 British Honduras hurricane was the deadliest hurricane in the history of British Honduras (known as Belize since 1973), killing an estimated 2,500 people. The hurricane was first detected as a tropical wave off the west coast of Africa on 29 August. Moving westward, the disturbance remained relatively weak until 6 September, when it was first classified as a tropical cyclone just west of the Windward Islands. The depression gradually intensified, reaching tropical storm intensity within the first six hours following tropical cyclogenesis. The cyclone intensified further to hurricane intensity by 8 September. Strengthening and organization remained gradual until the storm reached the Gulf of Honduras, by which time it began to rapidly intensify, reaching Category 4 hurricane intensity on 10 September. The hurricane subsequently made landfall in Belize City with maximum sustained winds of 135 mph (215 km / h). Moving across the Yucatán Peninsula, the tropical cyclone weakened, and continued to do so when it moved across the Bay of Campeche. This track brought it to a second landfall north of Tampico, Mexico, as a tropical storm on 13 September. Once inland, the storm quickly weakened and dissipated later that day.

---

The 1931 Hurricane Death Toll in British Honduras

---

At St. Catherine Academy

---

I understand from older folks that 1931 hurricane had fatalities due the the unknown safety precautions before, during or after the hurricane. These unknown procedures were also for our authorities like The post says that "Emory King claimed that then British Honduras authorities (not Belizean)withheld continuous warnings.

It was during the passing of the eye that in the Yarbrough area they starting shouting that the sea had drawn back (pull back, dry up). People open started running to the sea line to witness the happening. After the calm came the second part of the storm. The flooding. This surprised the crowd and that is what claimed so many lives.

Because of this hurricane Hattie even though a stronger hurricane was a different story. I am a Hurricane Hattie survivor. I was about to be a year old when it hit. Nadesna Valencia

---

I lost my Great Uncle Gregorio Castillo (Monsignor Castillo's oldest brother) in that storm. He left home to help rescue people and never came back. My grandmother always spoke of what a great person he was. Mirta Aguilar-Ragbir

Efrain Aguilar also perished who was a Jesuit scholar I believe. He died rescuing a whole lot of students that were being washed away. He was grabbing them one by one and putting them up in the trees until finally he disappeared under the water. There is a street named for him off Avenida los Heroes in Chetumal where he was from.

.

---

---

Gretel Middleton: I was 11 yrs and I lived in Belize City it was so bad. I remember my mom left us where we was staying to go see what she can find food for us she was gone for a while and I started crying and tried to go look for her the water was so high we was on the canal and I couldn't see where the canal was from the street and I can't swim so I turned back and was crying then I saw her coming I was so Happy to see her it's something I can never forget.

Lady Erica talks about the 1931 hurricane!
https://soundcloud.com/peter-wolffsohn/lady-erica-early-years-part-10

=====



===========

An experience in the 1931 Hurricane through the eyes of a Scottish child in St George's Caye.









=====



======

I had a grand uncle Efrain Aguilar who was a teacher at the old SJC when the 1931 Hurricane hit and students were being washed away. He was pulling them out of the water and putting them up in trees. I understand from stories I heard that he saved quite a lot of boys until he himself could go no more and he disappeared under the water. His statue is at Avenida Heroes in Chetumal and a street is named after him. Yvonne Paulette Hunter Romero



===============

Associated Press account of the 1931 hurricane interesting and graphic: "Storm Victims Piled on Fires and Destroyed."





==========================

Fort George (Cork Street) area after the hurricane, you can see the Barney Melhado's home. Off to the right you can see a small portion of a barge.



===================

An Aerial view of of Belize city after the 1931 hurricane, notice how the swing bridge is side ways.



================

A photo showing the aftermath of the 1931 hurricane at Fort George, interesting photo, I see the old custom building and check out the passenger boats including the Afrikola on the left. The report was that five feet of water settled over the city during the 1931 hurricane, but it seems from this photo that the initial tidal surge would have had to be much higher than five feet to get these vessels on shore. If we look at the man walking on the right of the photo he is about five to six feet tall. The water would have had to be his height to get these boats on the land considering their drafts. The Fort Point area where these vessels rest is about four feet or more above sea level. So we can safely say that at the time the tidal surge came in the water level would have had to be at least 10 feet or more to get these vessels where they are



==============

A Detroit 1931 newspaper.



A different paper...



==============

This house was not anchored to its foundation. It seems to be intact even after rolling over. Most houses would have collapsed I believe but this one did not. This tells me the structure was built soundly except for the anchoring of the foundation. The house seems very salvageable. I am thinking what probably saved this house from destruction was the fact that it was able to roll over. Had it been anchored to its foundation it would have been open to projectiles flying into it at 150 miles an hour, and would have destroyed it. It has a hip roof as well.

The frames of the majorty of our Colonial Houses were fitted together usinf was is called Mortise and Tenon. It's the strongest method of joining wood. It looks like this method of construction was used on this house that's the reason why the house held together even after toppling over. Obviously, this a a foundation fail.



=======

Photo after the devastation of the hurricane in 1931 of North Front Street in Belize City.



Yabra area of Belize City after the 1931 Hurricane.



====================



A poster from the Jesuit archives research center telling the tragic death of 11 Jesuit priest in a 1931 Belize hurricane. Here is a link with details of the tragedy. So sad and touching. Several of the Fathers continued to give absolution to others as they, themselves, faced death.
https://www.jesuitscentralsouthern.org/stories/september-10-1931-a-day-of-remembrance/

========================

Sir John Adler Burdon's account of the 1931 Hurricane when he was living in the Government House.

September 10th 2021 marks the 90th Anniversary of the 1931 Hurricane which devastated the then Belize Town . Let us keep in our prayers always those who died during that time . We hope that no storms especially of that magnitude ever comes to our shore .



Diane Stewart
My grandmother's story sounded like something you'd see in a movie. She was swept out of a window, and the force of the 10-15 ft. water caused her to be jammed between a vat and the house. She was then pulled back into another window by someone who saw her. That person had to grab her by her hair first to pull her towards that window. She ended up with a huge gash in her leg, and the only thing handy for antiseptic was whisky-which supposedly did the job! Gran was 30 at the time. My grandmother said that during the eye of the storm when it was calm, people came out on the streets-but the calm was followed by a tsunami. She said the water by the Bird's Isle/Wesley College area retreated, then when it came rushing back, it pushed a lot of empty drums that were piled up at the shore, down Albert St. She said the drums made an incredible ruckus rolling ahead of the water down the street.

Micheal G Mastry
My Dad and family also told stories of the 31 Hurricane… people decapitated by flying corrugated iron roofs and bodies floating by second floor windows in the tidal wave.

Lesley Sullivan
Yes my grandfather told stories of that too. Back then they didn't get the kind of warnings we have today and so people didn't know to take shelter. Also they didn't realize that the worst part of the storm can be after the eye passes and so many went out side thinking it was over only to caught in the second half of the hurricane. From all the evidence looking back it probably was a Cat 4 or 5 hurricane.

===================



Dora Riverol
The 1931 destruction of Queen Charlotte Town also called Coolie Town inhabited by East Indians sometime in the 1870s and after...not to far from St John's College at Loyola that was totally flattened killing some 11 priests and foreign students including Dato Burns the first Belizean Jesuit priest...he was the brother of Andrew Burns long time owner of Angelus Press...Hon George Price as a 12 year old student narrowly escaped with his life...guess the good Lord had other plans for him.

=================



Burial of the students that perished at Loyola Park after the 1931 hurricane.

Andre Campbell
The area still exists but is now covered in the bush ang mangrove. The Rt. Hon. George Cadle Price recollected his experience in an interview of how he was washed away from Loyola Park at the southern end of the city and ended up clinging on for life on Albert Street at Wesley Methodist Church. All alumni s of SJC past to present should know about this history as we remember the souls of the Jesuit Missionaries, teachers staff and students who perished in this tragic natural disaster.

=====================

George Villanueva
A view in a corner section of one of the residential sections in Belize, where boats, gasoline drums and other wreckage swept in by the sea was hurled against the already wrecked homes that were left in the wake of the recent tidal wave & hurricane in 1931 which left Belize in total ruin as well as taking an estimated toll of over 2,500 lives.

The aftermath of the tidal wave & hurricane that hit Belize in 1931. Besides the heavy destruction, there were also a death toll of over 2,500 people.







=======================

It seems from the caption on theses photo, there were many cases of liquor strewn all over the place after the tidal wave hit.



Melhado Liquor Warehouse after Hurricane of 1931