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The mayor of Black River – a community referred to as “the epicenter” for the devastating storm – has detailed the immense flooding and extensive destruction caused by the disaster.

Speaking on the harrowing ordeal, the mayor described riding out the intense hurricane at an emergency response center.

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

Several people from the town are reported to have died, but the mayor noted receiving word of other deaths that are still being verified due to connectivity and travel challenges.

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

“We got up to 16ft of water at the response center. That was a bit scary for us, and we were praying that it would not rise any more, because we were on the second floor, and frankly, when we saw the water climbing, it was a scary moment for us.”

Solomon explained that Black River, located in the severely affected southwest parish of St Elizabeth, is lacking running water and electricity, and the majority of structures have lost their roofs. One official previously described the town as under water, with more than half a million residents lacking electricity. A mudslide has obstructed the primary routes of Santa Cruz, where roadways have been turned to muddy tracks. Locals are now sweeping water from their houses and trying to rescue their belongings.

Search and rescue operations and damage assessments have become extremely difficult because all the town’s vehicles and essential facilities such as firefighting, law enforcement, hospitals and grocery stores were “severely damaged,” says Solomon.

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

“The mayor's car was totally submerged by water. My roof went, so I fully grasp the pain that persons are experiencing, but what is a priority for me now is to focus on securing assistance for the most vulnerable at this time,” he says.

Solomon believes that it will take millions of Jamaican dollars to rebuild the community after Melissa’s destruction. For now, he states, the main goal is removing debris from impassable roads, which have cut off the town.

“We are now trying to clear the main roads and critical lateral roads here so that we can deliver aid in. Most 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 moment,” he adds.

National leadership has witnessed the devastation personally, with an aerial tour of the region showing the vast majority of roofs in the area had been destroyed.

“It is going to be a massive task to rebuild this historic town. But while it is damaged, we can envision a future of it emerging more resilient and improved,” he informed reporters.

“It will be accomplished. So keep the positive outlook, keep hope alive, and we will get through this, and we will rebuild better,” he said.