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This mayor of Black River – a community described as “ground zero” for Hurricane Melissa – has shared the monstrous storm surges and extensive devastation wrought by the disaster.

Speaking on the traumatic experience, Richard Solomon recalled enduring the Category 5 storm at an emergency response center.

“The entire town of this area is in ruins,” he stated. “And that devastation is so catastrophic that the national leader designated this area as ground zero.”

Several people from the town are reported to have died, but Solomon noted hearing reports of other fatalities that are still being verified due to connectivity and transportation challenges.

“Storm Melissa arrived around 8 a.m. and continued for around several hours, during which we were pounded with strong gusts and torrential rainfall,” he explained.

“We got up to 4.8 metres of flooding at the response center. It was a frightening moment for us, and we were hoping that it would not increase any further, because we were on the upper level, and frankly, when we saw the water rising, it was a scary moment for us.”

Solomon explained that Black River, situated in the hard-hit southwest parish of St Elizabeth, is lacking running water and power, and most structures have had their roofing. One official previously described the town as under water, with over 500,000 inhabitants lacking electricity. A mudslide has blocked the main roads of a nearby area, where roadways have been turned to muddy tracks. Residents are now removing water from their houses and trying to salvage their possessions.

Rescue efforts and damage assessments have become almost impossible because every one of the town’s transport and critical services such as fire, law enforcement, medical centers and grocery stores were “immensely damaged,” notes Solomon.

He is now focused on trying to assist the neediest residents, while also coping with the personal impact of the disaster.

“My vehicle was completely submerged by water. My roof was lost, so I do understand the pain that persons are feeling, but what is a key focus for me now is to focus on getting aid relief for the most vulnerable at this time,” he says.

The mayor estimates that it will take millions of Jamaican dollars to restore Black River after Melissa’s annihilation. For now, he states, the main goal is clearing impassable roads, which have cut off the town.

“We are now trying to get the major thoroughfares and secondary routes here so that we can get relief supplies in. Most of our supermarkets, if not all, were impacted negatively so they will be unable to provide supplies to persons who are in dire straits at this time,” he says.

National leadership has witnessed the damage first-hand, with an flyover of the area revealing 80 to 90% of roofs in the area had been destroyed.

“This will be a enormous task to rebuild Black River. But although it is destroyed, we can envision a tomorrow of it emerging more resilient and better,” he told reporters.

“We will get it done. So keep the positive outlook, remain hopeful, and we will get through this, and we will reconstruct stronger,” he affirmed.