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The local leader of the town of Black River – a community referred to as “ground zero” for Hurricane Melissa – has shared the immense flooding and extensive devastation caused by the catastrophe.

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

“The entire town of this area is in ruins,” he said. “The destruction is so catastrophic that the prime minister classified this area as ground zero.”

Five individuals from Black River are confirmed dead, but the mayor noted receiving word of other fatalities that are still being verified due to communication and transportation challenges.

“The hurricane came around 8 a.m. and continued for around several hours, during which we were battered with heavy winds and torrential rainfall,” he added.

“We got up to 16ft of water at the emergency operating centre. That was a bit scary for us, and we were praying that it would not increase any more, because we were on the second floor, and frankly, when we saw the water climbing, it was a terrifying experience for us.”

Solomon explained that the town, situated in the hard-hit southwest region of the area, is lacking water and power, and most structures have had their roofs. One official previously characterized the town as flooded, with over 500,000 residents without power. A mudslide has blocked the main roads of a nearby area, where streets have been turned to muddy tracks. Residents are now removing water from their houses and attempting to salvage their belongings.

Search and rescue operations and evaluations have become extremely difficult because all the town’s vehicles and essential facilities such as firefighting, police, medical centers and supermarkets were “severely damaged,” notes Solomon.

The mayor is now concentrating on trying to assist the most vulnerable, while also dealing with the personal impact of the disaster.

“The mayor's car was completely submerged by water. My roof went, so I fully grasp the pain that persons are experiencing, but what is a key focus for me now is to concentrate on getting assistance for the most at-risk at this time,” he explains.

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

“We are now trying to get the main roads and secondary routes here so that we can get relief supplies in. The majority of our supermarkets, if not all, were severely affected so they won’t be able to offer goods to persons who are in need at this time,” he says.

National leadership has seen the devastation personally, with an flyover of the area showing 80 to 90% of buildings in the area had been lost.

“This will be a massive undertaking to restore Black River. But although it is damaged, we can vision a tomorrow of it emerging more resilient and improved,” he informed reporters.

“We will get it done. So maintain the positive outlook, keep hope alive, and we will get through this, and we will rebuild better,” he affirmed.