Hurricane Hattie was a devastating Category 5 hurricane that caused deaths and massive damages. As the storm moved toward Central America, it briefly became a Category 5 hurricane. Hattie was noted as being the strongest October hurricane in the region until 1998’s Hurricane Mitch. Hurricane Hattie was a tropical cyclone that defied its expected forecast and made landfall in Belize in the fall of 1961. Belize City is home to a monument that memorializes the loved ones and families lost during this catastrophic event.