Hurricane Iris of 2001 was the most destructive hurricane in Belize since Hurricane Hattie in 1961.

Iris was the second-strongest storm of the 2001 Atlantic hurricane season, behind Hurricane
Michelle.[1] It was the ninthnamed storm, fifth hurricane, and third major hurricane[nb 1] of the year,
forming from a tropical wave on October 4 just southeast of Barbados. It moved westward through
the Caribbean, intensifying into a tropical storm on October 5 south of Puerto Rico and into a
hurricane the following day. While passing south of the Dominican Republic, Iris dropped heavy
rainfall that caused landslides, killing eight people. Later, the hurricane passed south of Jamaica,
where it destroyed two houses. On reaching the western Caribbean Sea, Iris rapidly intensified into a
Category 4 on the SaffirSimpson scale. A small hurricane with an eye of only 7 mi (11 km) in
diameter, Iris reached peak winds of 145 mph (230 km/h) before making landfall in southern Belize
near Monkey River Town on October 9. The hurricane quickly dissipated over Central America,
although its remnants contributed to the formation of Tropical Storm Manuel in the eastern Pacific
Ocean.
Destruction was heaviest in Belize and totaled $250 million (2001 USD).[nb 2] Because Iris was
compact, the damage was largely confined to 72% of the houses in the Toledo district and 50% of
the houses in the Stann Creek district. The hurricane damaged or destroyed 3,718 homes
nationwide, and wrecked more than 95% of the homes in 35 villages in the poorest parts of the
country. Iris left about 15,000 people homeless, many receiving assistance from the government and
the local Red Cross chapter. High winds also damaged large swaths of forest and crops, mostly
affecting the banana industry. Iris killed 24 people in Belize, including 20 who died when a scuba
diving boat capsized near Big Creek. The storm also killed eight people and damaged about
2,500 homes in neighboring Guatemala, and later dropped heavy rainfall in southern Mexico, where
two people died.