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This local leader of the town of Black River – a community referred to as “ground zero” for Hurricane Melissa – has detailed the monstrous storm surges and extensive devastation wrought by the disaster.

Reflecting on the traumatic ordeal, Richard Solomon recalled riding out the intense storm at an emergency response center.

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

Five individuals from the town are confirmed dead, but Solomon noted receiving word of other deaths that are still being verified due to communication and transportation challenges.

“Storm Melissa came around 8 a.m. and lasted for around nine hours, during which we were battered with heavy winds and a lot of rain,” 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 praying that it would not increase any further, because we were on the upper level, and I tell you, when we saw the water rising, it was a terrifying moment for us.”

The mayor stated that Black River, located in the severely affected south-western region of St Elizabeth, is without water and electricity, and most structures have had their roofing. One official earlier characterized the town as under water, with more than 500,000 inhabitants lacking electricity. A mudslide has obstructed the main roads of Santa Cruz, where roadways have been turned to mud pits. Residents are now sweeping water from their houses and trying to salvage their possessions.

Rescue efforts and damage assessments have proven almost impossible because all the town’s vehicles and essential facilities such as firefighting, police, hospitals and grocery stores were “immensely damaged,” notes Solomon.

He is now concentrating on working to assist the most vulnerable, while also dealing with the personal impact of the disaster.

“My vehicle was totally submerged by water. The roofing was lost, so I do understand the pain that persons are experiencing, but what is a key focus for me now is to concentrate on securing assistance for the most vulnerable at this time,” he says.

The mayor estimates that it will take billions of Jamaican dollars to rebuild the community after Melissa’s destruction. At present, he states, the main goal is removing debris from impassable roads, which have isolated the town.

“Efforts are underway to clear the main roads and critical lateral roads here so that we can deliver relief supplies in. The majority of our supermarkets, if not all, were severely affected so they won’t be able to offer goods to individuals who are in dire straits at this time,” he says.

National leadership has witnessed the devastation first-hand, with an flyover of the area revealing the vast majority of roofs in the area had been lost.

“This will be a massive undertaking to restore this historic town. But while it is damaged, we can vision a tomorrow of it rising stronger and improved,” he told reporters.

“We will get it done. So keep the positive outlook, keep hope alive, and we will overcome this challenge, and we will reconstruct stronger,” he said.