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This mayor of Black River – a community referred to as “ground zero” for Hurricane Melissa – has shared the immense storm surges and widespread devastation caused by the disaster.

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

“Our community of this area is devastated,” he said. “The destruction is so catastrophic that the prime minister designated this area as ground zero.”

Several people from the town are reported dead, but Solomon mentioned hearing reports of other fatalities that are still being verified due to connectivity and transportation difficulties.

“The hurricane arrived around eight in the morning and lasted for around nine hours, during which we were battered with strong gusts and torrential rainfall,” he explained.

“We experienced up to 16ft of water at the emergency operating centre. It was a bit scary for us, and we were hoping that it would not increase any more, because we were on the upper level, and I tell you, when we saw the water climbing, it was a scary experience for us.”

Solomon explained that Black River, located in the severely affected south-western parish of St Elizabeth, is lacking running water and electricity, and most buildings have had their roofs. An authority earlier described the town as flooded, with over 500,000 residents lacking electricity. A landslide has obstructed the primary routes of Santa Cruz, where roadways have been reduced to mud pits. 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 every one of the town’s transport and critical services such as firefighting, police, medical centers and grocery stores were “immensely damaged,” notes the mayor.

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

“My vehicle was completely submerged by water. My roof went, so I do understand the suffering that persons are feeling, but what is a priority for me now is to focus on securing assistance for the most vulnerable at this time,” he explains.

Solomon estimates that it will take millions of Jamaican dollars to rebuild Black River after the hurricane's destruction. At present, he says, the main goal 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 get relief supplies in. The majority of our stores, if not all, were impacted negatively so they will be unable to provide supplies to persons who are in dire straits at this moment,” he says.

The prime minister has seen the devastation first-hand, with an aerial tour of the area revealing the vast majority of buildings in the area had been destroyed.

“It is going to be a massive undertaking to rebuild Black River. But while it is destroyed, we can envision a tomorrow of it rising stronger and improved,” he told local media.

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