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This mayor of the town of Black River – a community referred to as “ground zero” for Hurricane Melissa – has detailed the immense flooding and widespread destruction caused by the catastrophe.

Reflecting on the traumatic ordeal, Richard Solomon described riding out the intense storm at an emergency operating centre.

“The entire town of this area is devastated,” he stated. “And that devastation is so catastrophic that the national leader classified this area as the worst-hit zone.”

Several people from the town are reported to have died, but Solomon noted receiving word of additional deaths that remain unconfirmed due to communication and transportation challenges.

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

“We got up to 16ft of water at the emergency operating centre. That was a frightening moment for us, and we were praying that it would not rise any more, because we were on the second floor, and I tell you, when we saw the water rising, it was a scary moment for us.”

Solomon explained that the town, located in the hard-hit southwest region of St Elizabeth, is lacking running water and electricity, and most structures have lost their roofs. One official previously described the town as flooded, with over half a million inhabitants lacking electricity. A mudslide has blocked the primary routes of a nearby area, where streets have been turned to mud pits. Residents are now sweeping water from their houses and trying to rescue their possessions.

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

He is now concentrating on working to assist the neediest residents, while also coping with the personal impact of the devastation.

“My vehicle was completely submerged by water. My roof was lost, so I fully grasp 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 says.

Solomon believes that it will take millions of local currency to rebuild Black River after the hurricane's annihilation. For now, he states, the main goal is clearing blocked routes, which have isolated the town.

“We are now trying to get the main roads and secondary routes here so that we can get aid in. Most of our supermarkets, if not all, were severely affected so they will be unable to offer goods to persons who are in need at this time,” he adds.

National leadership has seen the damage first-hand, with an flyover of the region revealing 80 to 90% of buildings in the area had been destroyed.

“It is going to be a massive undertaking to restore this historic town. But while it is destroyed, we can envision a future of it rising stronger and better,” he told local media.

“We will get it done. So keep the optimism, keep hope alive, and we will get through this, and we will reconstruct stronger,” he said.