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This local leader of the town of Black River – a community referred to as “ground zero” for Hurricane Melissa – has shared the monstrous flooding and extensive destruction wrought by the catastrophe.

Speaking on the harrowing ordeal, Richard Solomon described enduring the intense hurricane at an emergency response center.

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

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

“Storm Melissa came around eight in the morning and lasted for around nine hours, during which we were pounded with heavy winds and a lot of rain,” he added.

“We got up to 4.8 metres of flooding at the emergency operating centre. That was a frightening moment for us, and we were praying that it would not increase any further, because we were on the second floor, and frankly, when we saw the water rising, it was a terrifying moment for us.”

The mayor explained that the town, located in the hard-hit south-western region of St Elizabeth, is without water and electricity, and the majority of structures have had their roofing. One official earlier characterized the town as under water, with over half a million residents without power. A mudslide has obstructed the main roads of a nearby area, where streets have been reduced to mud pits. Locals are now sweeping water from their houses and attempting to salvage their possessions.

Search and rescue operations and evaluations have become almost impossible because every one of the town’s transport and critical services such as firefighting, law enforcement, hospitals and grocery stores were “severely damaged,” notes the mayor.

The mayor is now concentrating on working to assist the neediest residents, while also dealing with the individual toll of the disaster.

“The mayor's car was totally covered by water. My roof was lost, so I do understand the suffering that people are experiencing, but what is a key focus for me now is to focus on securing assistance for the most at-risk at this point,” he explains.

The mayor estimates that it will take millions of local currency to rebuild Black River after Melissa’s annihilation. For now, he says, the priority is clearing 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 aid in. Most of our stores, if not all, were impacted negatively so they won’t be able to offer goods to individuals who are in dire straits at this moment,” he adds.

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

“This will be a massive undertaking to restore Black River. But while it is damaged, we can vision a tomorrow of it emerging more resilient and better,” he told local media.

“We will get it done. So keep the positive outlook, remain hopeful, and we will get through this, and we will reconstruct stronger,” he affirmed.