Hurricane Keith
| Category 4 hurricane (SSHS) | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Keith near peak intensity, shortly before landfall in Belize | |
| Formed | September 28, 2000 |
| Dissipated | October 6, 2000 |
| Highest winds | 1-minute sustained: 140 mph (220 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 939 mbar (hPa; 27.73 inHg) |
| Fatalities | 40 direct |
| Damage | $319 million (2000 USD) |
| Areas affected | Much of Central America, Belize, Mexico |
| Part of the 2000 Atlantic hurricane season | |
Hurricane Keith caused extensive damage in Central America, especially in Mexico and Belize. The fifteenth tropical cyclone, eleventh named storm, and seventh hurricane of the 2000 Atlantic hurricane season, Keith developed as a tropical depression from a tropical wave in the western Caribbean Sea on September 28. The depression gradually strengthened, and became Tropical Storm Keith on the following day. As the storm tracked westward, it continued to intensify and was upgraded to a hurricane on September 30. Shortly thereafter, Keith began to rapidly deepen, and peaked as a Category 4 hurricane less than 24 hours later. Keith then began to meander erratically offshore of Belize, which significantly weakened the storm due to land interaction. By late on October 2, Keith made landfall in Ambergris Caye, Belize as a minimal hurricane. It weakened quickly weakened to a tropical storm, before another landfall occurred near Belize City early on the following day. While moving inland over the Yucatán Peninsula, Keith weakened further, and was downgraded to a tropical depression before emerging into the Gulf of Mexico on October 4. Once in the Gulf of Mexico, Keith began to re-strengthen and was upgraded to a tropical storm later that day, and a hurricane on the following day. By late on October 5, Keith made its third and final landfall near Tampico, Tamaulipas, Mexico as a moderately strong Category 1 hurricane. The storm quickly weakened inland and dissipated as a tropical cyclone by 24 hours after landfall.
Keith brought heavy rainfall to several countries in Central America, which resulted in extensive flooding, especially in Belize and Mexico. In Guatemala, the storm flooded 10 towns, and caused one fatality. Similarly, one fatality also occurred in El Salvador, and at least 300 people were affected by flooding in that country. Thirteen communities in Nicaragua were completely isolated after Keith made roads impassable. Twelve deaths were reported in Nicaragua, all of which were flood-related. Five people were presumed dead in Honduras after an aircraft disappeared near Roatán; one other fatality occurred due to flooding. The storm brought torrential rainfall to Belize, with many areas reporting at least 10 inches (250 mm) of rain, while highest reported amount of precipitation was greater than 30 inches (760 mm). In Belize, a village reported that only 12 houses remained, while elsewhere in the country, at least 60 homes were destroyed or damaged; several houses in Belize City suffered minor roof damage. At least 19 people were killed in Belize and damages totaled to $280 million (2000 USD). Heavy rainfall also occurred in Mexico, especially in the states of Nuevo León and Tamaulipas. Flooding from Keith caused several mudslides and a few rivers reached historic levels. Throughout Mexico, at least 460 houses were damage or destroyed and other losses in infrastructure occurred. In addition, one person drowned due to heavy rainfall. Damages incurred in associated with Keith in Mexico totaled to approximately $365.9 million (2000 MXN, $38.7 million 2000 USD). Overall, Keith was responsible for 40 deaths and $319 million (2000 USD) in damage.[1]
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[edit] Meteorological history
Hurricane Keith began as a tropical wave that moved off the coast of Africa on September 16. It moved westward across the Atlantic without much development due to upper level shear. When it reached the western Caribbean Sea, upper level winds became much more favorable, and the wave developed into Tropical Depression Fifteen on September 28, 60 mi (97 km) northeast of Cape Gracias a Dios, Nicaragua. The newly-formed
tropical cyclone drifted northwestward, and became Tropical Storm Keith on September 29.[2]
Conditions became nearly ideal for Keith's development on September 30, with little to no shear, a well-developed anticyclone over it, and warm Caribbean water temperatures allowing for the storm to strengthen. Keith became a hurricane on September 30, which was followed by rapid intensification to a 140 mph (225 km/h) Category 4 hurricane only 18 hours later. As it neared the Belize coast, high pressure blocked further westward progress, leading Keith to execute a small loop just off the coast. Land interaction weakened the hurricane to a strong tropical storm by the time it made its first landfall on October 3. Keith became disorganized over the Yucatán, but reintensified when it reached the Gulf of Mexico on October 4. The storm was able to intensify to a 90 mph (140 km/h) hurricane before making its final landfall near Tampico, Mexico on October 5. Keith dissipated over northeastern Mexico the next day.
[edit] Preparations
In Corozal, Belize, the authorities evacuated the entire city of 10,000 people to numerous shelters in Orange Walk.[3] Nicaragua also had officials evacuate more than 300 people from low-lying areas.[4]
In Mexico, 5,000 people from Chetumal and surrounding low-lying areas were forced to evacuate,[4] and after the storm's second landfall, another 5,000 were forced evacuated from several municipalities in Nuevo León, with 2,465 from Monterrey, and 1,900 from rural areas, with a cost of $400,000 (2000 MXN).[5]
[edit] Impact
| Region | Direct deaths |
|---|---|
| Belize | 19[6] |
| El Salvador | 1 |
| Nicaragua | 12 |
| Honduras | 6 |
| Guatemala | 1 |
| Mexico | 1 |
| Total | 40 |
Keith was a very difficult hurricane to forecast. Its strength extremes and its stalling offshore Belize caused many problems to forecasters. This led to a deadly situation of waiting for the storm to finally recede.
Keith caused massive flooding over Belize and Mexico, as well as road destruction and landslides. The storm caused 40 direct deaths and an unknown amount of indirect deaths.
[edit] Belize
While Keith was offshore Belize, it actually caused a negative surge, draining water out of various waterways. Several places were said to have a water level 4 feet (1.2 m) below average. The only actual storm surge was reported in Caye Caulker, at only 4–5 feet. The National Hurricane Center also received reports of the water in the Bay of Chetumal was temporarily blown out of the bay by northerly winds from Keith. Several people walked onto the exposed ocean floor, not realizing that the water could return at any moment. Nobody was injured or killed while on the ocean bottom.[2]
Belize City was buried under four feet of water and lost water supply and electricity. Some of the downed power lines sent sparks into the open, forcing most people to remain in their homes after the storm until the live wires were fixed or removed.[2] Twenty homes were damaged to some degree in the capital, while many more suffered minor roof damage.[3] 40 homes in Caye Caulker were destroyed, while the remaining buildings lost phone connection and electricity in Caye Caulker and San Pedro, Belize. The lagoon area of San Pedro received the worst damage in the city. The local Texaco station was completely demolished. San Juan was spared, but the village of San Pedrito was significantly affected by Keith. Only twelve houses were reported to have stood up to the storm's wrath. The rest were flattened.[2]
Several areas in Belize received up to 10 inches (250 mm) of rain, but the Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport in Belize City reported a total of 32.67 inches (830 mm).[2]
The five Belizean deaths occurred after two catamarans broke loose from what was holding them. An additional 14 people perished, likely due to flooding.[6] Several injuries, mainly from flying debris, were reported in San Pedro, but fortunately, no fatalities. The major hurricane caused an estimated $280 million (2000 USD, $399 million 2008 USD)[1] in damage in Belize.[2]
[edit] Rest of Central America
Damage estimates in Guatemala are unavailable, but heavy rains were reported to have caused flooding in ten towns[2] and one person, a young girl, was reported to have become the first fatality from Keith in Guatemala.[7] A 16-year-old boy in Nicaragua was swept away by the fast moving flooded river.[4] The eleven other casualties caused by Keith were due to flooding from heavy rains.[2] Thirteen communities in the country were completely isolated from the rest of the world after Keith made roads impassable.[8] Five of the fatalities in Honduras were the result of the disappearance of an aircraft near Roatan Island.[2] The other death was from heavy flooding.[2] Damage estimates are unavailable.[2] In El Salvador, a 20-year-old man drowned in a river and another 300 people were affected by flooding.[4]
[edit] Mexico
| State | Direct damage | Indirect damage | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sonora | 63,936 | 500 | 64,436 |
| Nuevo León | 115,600 | 0 | 115,600 |
| Tamaulipas | 117,167 | 0.683 | 117,850 |
| Quintana Roo | 39,716 | 2.767 | 42,483 |
| Chiapas | 25,569 | 0 | 25,569 |
| Totals | $361,988 | $3,950 | $365,938 |
In Nuevo León, near Monterrey, Keith caused torrential rainfall, with the average precipitation on the state being 5 in (120 mm), causing mudslides on several cities, including San Pedro, Guadalupe and Escobedo. The swift currents, caused by the flash flood after the storm, rose up to 9,000 ft³/s (250 m³/s), and dragged 130 people into local rivers; however, all were rescued. The rivers also dragged 30 vehicles, all of which were moderate to total losses. The storm runoff caused the El Cuchillo dam to receive 105,000 acre feet (130,000,000 m3) of water daily, and the La Boca dam to receive 810 acre feet (1,000,000 m3) per hour. 13,000 residents also lost power.[5] The total damages in the state rose to $115.6 million (2000 MXN, $12.2 million 2000 USD), with the damage to urban infrastructure being the most expensive portion of the damage, with $44.2 million (2000 MXN, $4.6 million 2000 USD) used to repair damage in eight municipalities; in particular, San Pedro Garza García received approximately three quarters of the infrastructure damage, with $30.8 million (2000 MXN, $3.3 million 2000 USD). Additionally, about 460 homes were damaged or destroyed, and 300 families had to be relocated to safer areas.[5]
In Tamaulipas, the storm caused as much, if not more rainfall than in Nuevo León. In a reporting station in the municipality of Gómez Farías, the pluviometer reported a 24-hour rain total of 13.24 in (336.5 mm), and a storm total of 18.44 in (468.5 mm), which broke the precipitation record for that location, which counted with 35 years of data.[5] This rain also caused rivers to reach record levels, as the Sabinas River rose 10.95 m (35.93 ft) on October 6, to a new historical peak, and the Guayalejo River rose 77.46 ft (23.61 m), slightly under the 1976 record. This rainfall caused the Las Ánimas dam to catch 525,000 acre feet (648,000,000 m3) of water between October 5 and October 17; however, some of this water had to be released, as the upstream face of the dam was damaged by debris, and had to be repaired.[5] Overall, the storm produced $117.8 million in damage (2000 MXN, $12.4 million 2000 USD) in the state.
In other states, damage was lighter, but still significant. In Sonora, total damages rose to $64.4 million (2000 MXN, $6.8 million 2000 USD); in Quintana Roo, $42.2 million (2000 MXN, $4.5 million 2000 USD) were incurred, and in Chiapas, $25.6 million (2000 MXN, $2.7 million 2000 USD) of property damage were caused by the storm. This brings up the total damage in Mexico to $365.9 million (2000 MXN, $38.7 million 2000 USD).[5]
The one reported death in Mexico associated with Keith was due to flooding from heavy rains.[2]
[edit] Aftermath
Several emergency teams were sent to Caye Caulker and San Pedro in Belize as soon as weather conditions permitted it. Widespread road repairs also began almost immediately after Keith's occurrence. The Belize International Airport was back online by the morning of October 4, only a single day after the severe tropical cyclone passed through the area. A donation account to help the relief effort, titled Hurricane Keith Relief Fund, was set up by the town of Placencia, in the local Atlantic Bank. The Belize Consulate in California also set up a donation fundraiser. Placencia also delivered a boat full of donated food, clothing, and building supplies to the San Pedro and Caye Caulker area.[9]
United Nations Development Programme received $30,000 (2000 USD, $38,000 2008 USD) from the Government of Norway to give immediate relief to the country of Belize. United Nations Children's Fund also gave out $150,000 (2000 USD, $188,000 2008 USD) for relief in areas not focused on by other relief groups.[10]
The name Keith was retired in the spring of 2001 due to this storm, and will never again be used for an Atlantic hurricane. The name was replaced with Kirk, but the name Kirk has yet to be used, as the 2006 Atlantic hurricane season did not have enough storms to reach the name.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b United Nations (November 30, 2000). "Belize: Assessment of the Damage Caused By Hurricane Keith, 2000" (PDF). CEPAL. Archived from the original on May 26, 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/5yyO5YD9U. Retrieved 2011-05-26.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Beven, Jack (January 21, 2001). "Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Keith". National Hurricane Center. http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/2000keith.html. Retrieved 2006-09-15.
- ^ a b "Caribbean: Hurricane Keith — Information Bulletin #1" (PDF). Red Cross. October 2, 2000. Archived from the original on September 7, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20090907053701/http://www.ifrc.org/docs/appeals/rpts00/cr00hub2.pdf. Retrieved 2011-05-26.
- ^ a b c d Associated Press (October 2, 2000). "Sluggish Hurricane Keith swamps Central America with rain". CNN. Archived from the original on June 15, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070615153847/http://archives.cnn.com/2000/WEATHER/10/02/hurricane.keith/index.html. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
- ^ a b c d e f g Bitrán Bitrán, Daniel (November 2001) (in (Spanish)) (PDF). Impacto socioeconómico de los principales desastres ocurridos en la República Mexicana en el año 2000 (1st ed.). Centro Nacional de Prevención de Desastres. ISBN 970-628-592-X. Archived from the original on October 30, 2008. http://replay.web.archive.org/20080227010138/http://www.proteccioncivil.gob.mx/upLoad/Publicaciones/ised_2000.pdf. Retrieved 2011-05-26.
- ^ a b Lawrimorea, Jay H.; Halpert, Michael S.; Bell, Gerald D.; Menne, Matthew J.; Lyon, Bradfield; C. Schnell, Russell; Gleason, Karin L.; Easterling, David R. et al. (2001). "Climate Assessment for 2000". Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society 82 (6): 1304–1304. Bibcode 2001BAMS...82.1304L. doi:10.1175/1520-0477(2001)082<1304:CAF>2.3.CO;2
- ^ BBC (October 3, 2000). "Hurricane Keith batters Belize". BBC. Archived from the original on May 26, 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/5yyOd1023. Retrieved 2011-05-26.
- ^ PAHO (October 3, 2000). "Floods in Nicaragua, 3 October 2000, at 0600 hrs.". Pan American Health Organization. Archived from the original on March 9, 2010. http://web.archive.org/web/20100309083454/http://www.paho.org/English/DD/PED/keith-nic-oct3.htm. Retrieved 2011-05-26.
- ^ Destination Belize (2000). "2000: Hurricane Keith". Destination Belize. Archived from the original on April 26, 2009. http://web.archive.org/web/20090426131917/http://www.destinationsbelize.com/2000.htm. Retrieved 2011-05-26.
- ^ PAHO (October 11, 2000). "The U.N. Response to Hurricane Keith Situation Update: October 11, 2000". Pan American Health Organization. Archived from the original on March 9, 2010. http://web.archive.org/web/20100309083457/http://www.paho.org/English/DD/PED/keith-unresponse.htm. Retrieved 2011-05-26.
[edit] External links
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