1931 Belize hurricane

Infobox Hurricane
Name=1931 Belize hurricane
Type=hurricane
Year=1931
Basin=Atl
Image location=Convent Belize 1931 hurricane.jpg


Formed=September 5, 1931
Dissipated=September 12, 1931
1-min winds=110
Pressure=
Da

Inflated=
Fatalities=2,500
Areas=Belize, Mexico
Hurricane season=1931 Atlantic hurricane seasonThe 1931 Belize hurricane was a devastating Category 3 hurricane that hit Belize City killing an estimated 2,500 people on September 10, 1931. Although not nearly as strong as Hurricane Hattie of 1961, it remains the deadliest hurricane, and natural disaster, in Belize's history. It devastated the entire northern coast of the country, killing as much as 2,500 people.

This hurricane formed east of Barbados in early September and moved through the Caribbean, not strengthening much for the first four days of its life, but on September 10, though, the storm began to rapidly intensify; going from a tropical storm to a major hurricane with convert|125|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on winds. September 10 is a national holiday in Belize, celebrating the defeat of the Spanish in the Battle of St. George's Caye much like Americans celebrate the Fourth of July. This perhaps increased the death toll. Belize City was nearly destroyed by the storm surge. As many as 2,500 people were killed. The storm then moved over the Bay of Campeche and made a second landfall near Veracruz and dissipated inland.

Further reading

*cite journal |last=Usher |first=Kareem M. |authorlink= |coauthors= |year=2007 |month= |title=Natural Hazard Mitigation Strategies in the Continental Caribbean: The Case of Belize |journal=Études caribéennes |volume=2007 |issue=7 |pages= |id= |url=http://etudescaribeennes.revues.org/document324.html |accessdate= |quote=