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The mayor of Black River – a community referred to as “ground zero” for Hurricane Melissa – has shared the immense storm surges and widespread devastation wrought by the disaster.

Reflecting on the harrowing experience, the mayor recalled riding out the intense hurricane at an emergency operating centre.

“The entire town of Black River is in ruins,” he said. “The destruction is so catastrophic that the national leader designated this area as ground zero.”

Several people from the town are confirmed to have died, but the mayor noted receiving word of other fatalities that remain unconfirmed due to connectivity and transportation challenges.

“The hurricane came around eight in the morning and continued for around nine hours, during which we were pounded with heavy winds and torrential rainfall,” he added.

“We experienced up to 4.8 metres of water at the response center. That was a frightening moment for us, and we were praying that it would not rise any further, because we were on the upper level, and frankly, when we saw the water climbing, it was a terrifying moment for us.”

The mayor explained that Black River, situated in the severely affected southwest region of St Elizabeth, is lacking running water and power, and most structures have had their roofs. An authority earlier described the town as flooded, with more than half a million inhabitants without power. A mudslide has obstructed the primary routes of a nearby area, where streets have been reduced to muddy tracks. Locals are now removing water from their homes and trying to rescue their possessions.

Rescue efforts and damage assessments have become almost impossible because every one of the town’s transport and essential facilities such as fire, police, medical centers and supermarkets were “immensely damaged,” notes Solomon.

The mayor is now focused on trying to help the neediest residents, while also dealing with the personal impact of the devastation.

“My vehicle was completely covered by water. My roof was lost, so I do understand the suffering that people are feeling, but what is a priority for me now is to concentrate on securing aid relief for the most at-risk at this point,” he says.

Solomon believes that it will take millions of Jamaican dollars to restore the community after Melissa’s annihilation. For now, he states, the priority is removing debris from impassable roads, which have isolated the town.

“We are now trying to clear the major thoroughfares and secondary routes here so that we can deliver aid in. Most of our stores, 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 seen the damage personally, with an aerial tour of the region showing 80 to 90% of buildings in the area had been lost.

“It is going to be a massive undertaking to rebuild Black River. But while it is damaged, we can envision a future of it emerging more resilient and better,” he told local media.

“It will be accomplished. So maintain the positive outlook, remain hopeful, and we will overcome this challenge, and we will rebuild better,” he affirmed.