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This local leader of the town of Black River – a community described as “the epicenter” for Hurricane Melissa – has detailed the immense storm surges and widespread devastation wrought by the disaster.

Reflecting on the traumatic ordeal, the mayor recalled enduring the Category 5 storm at an emergency response center.

“Our community of Black River is in ruins,” he said. “The destruction is so severe that the national leader classified this area as the worst-hit zone.”

Five individuals from Black River are confirmed to have died, but Solomon noted receiving word of additional fatalities that are still being verified due to connectivity and transportation difficulties.

“The hurricane came around eight in the morning and continued for around nine hours, during which we were battered with heavy winds and torrential rainfall,” he added.

“We got up to 4.8 metres of water at the response center. It was a frightening moment for us, and we were praying that it would not increase any further, because we were on the upper level, and frankly, when we saw the water climbing, it was a scary experience for us.”

The mayor stated that Black River, situated in the severely affected south-western parish of the area, is lacking running water and power, and most structures have lost their roofing. An authority previously characterized the town as under water, with more than 500,000 inhabitants without power. A mudslide has obstructed the primary routes of Santa Cruz, where streets have been turned to muddy tracks. Locals are now removing water from their houses and attempting to rescue their possessions.

Rescue efforts and evaluations have become almost impossible because every one of the town’s vehicles and critical services such as fire, police, medical centers and grocery stores were “immensely damaged,” notes the mayor.

The mayor is now focused on trying to help the neediest residents, while also dealing with the personal impact of the disaster.

“The mayor's car was totally covered by water. The roofing went, so I do understand the suffering that persons are feeling, but what is a priority for me now is to focus on getting assistance for the most vulnerable at this time,” he says.

The mayor estimates that it will take millions of Jamaican dollars to restore 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.

“Efforts are underway to clear the main roads and secondary routes here so that we can get aid in. Most of our stores, if not all, were severely affected so they won’t be able to provide supplies to individuals who are in need at this time,” he says.

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

“This will be a massive undertaking to restore Black River. But while it is damaged, we can envision a future of it rising more resilient and improved,” he told local media.

“It will be accomplished. So keep the optimism, keep hope alive, and we will overcome this challenge, and we will reconstruct stronger,” he said.