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This mayor of Black River – an area referred to as “ground zero” for the devastating storm – has shared the monstrous flooding and extensive destruction caused by the disaster.

Reflecting on the harrowing experience, Richard Solomon described enduring the intense storm at an emergency operating centre.

“The entire town of Black River is devastated,” he said. “And that devastation is so severe that the prime minister classified this area as ground zero.”

Several people from Black River are reported dead, but Solomon noted hearing reports of additional deaths that remain unconfirmed due to connectivity and transportation challenges.

“The hurricane arrived around 8 a.m. and continued for around nine hours, during which we were pounded with strong gusts and torrential rainfall,” he added.

“We experienced up to 16ft of water at the response center. It was a frightening moment for us, and we were hoping 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 scary experience for us.”

Solomon explained that Black River, located in the hard-hit south-western region of the area, is lacking running water and power, and most structures have had their roofing. An authority earlier characterized the town as under water, with over 500,000 residents lacking electricity. A mudslide has blocked the main roads of Santa Cruz, where roadways have been reduced to mud pits. Residents are now removing water from their houses and attempting to salvage their belongings.

Rescue efforts and damage assessments have proven extremely difficult because every one of the town’s vehicles and critical services such as firefighting, police, hospitals and grocery stores were “severely damaged,” says Solomon.

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

“My vehicle was totally covered by water. My roof went, so I do understand the suffering that people are experiencing, but what is a priority for me now is to focus on getting assistance for the most at-risk at this time,” he explains.

Solomon estimates that it will take billions of Jamaican dollars to restore Black River after Melissa’s annihilation. At present, he says, the main goal is removing debris from blocked routes, which have cut off the town.

“We are now trying to get the major thoroughfares and secondary routes here so that we can get aid in. The majority of our stores, if not all, were impacted negatively so they will be unable to provide supplies to individuals who are in need at this moment,” he adds.

The prime minister has seen the damage personally, with an flyover of the region showing the vast majority of buildings in the area had been lost.

“It is going to be a enormous undertaking to rebuild this historic town. But while it is destroyed, we can envision a tomorrow of it rising more resilient and better,” he told local media.

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