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This local leader of Black River – a community referred to as “the epicenter” for Hurricane Melissa – has shared the immense storm surges and widespread devastation wrought by the catastrophe.

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

“The entire town of Black River is devastated,” he stated. “The destruction is so catastrophic that the prime minister designated this area as ground zero.”

Several people from the town are confirmed to have died, but the mayor mentioned hearing reports of additional fatalities that remain unconfirmed due to connectivity and transportation challenges.

“The hurricane arrived around 8 a.m. and continued for around nine hours, during which we were pounded with heavy winds and a lot of rain,” he explained.

“We got up to 4.8 metres of water at the emergency operating centre. That was a frightening moment for us, and we were hoping that it would not increase any more, because we were on the second floor, and I tell you, when we saw the water climbing, it was a terrifying moment for us.”

Solomon stated that Black River, located in the severely affected south-western region of St Elizabeth, is lacking running water and electricity, and most structures have had their roofing. An authority earlier described the town as flooded, with more than half a million residents without power. A mudslide has blocked the main roads of a nearby area, where roadways have been reduced to muddy tracks. Residents are now removing water from their houses and attempting to salvage their belongings.

Rescue efforts and damage assessments have proven almost impossible because every one of the town’s transport and critical services such as fire, law enforcement, medical centers and supermarkets were “immensely damaged,” says Solomon.

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

“My vehicle was totally submerged by water. The roofing was lost, so I do understand the pain that people are experiencing, but what is a key focus for me now is to concentrate on getting aid relief for the most at-risk at this point,” he explains.

Solomon believes that it will take millions of Jamaican dollars to restore Black River after Melissa’s destruction. At present, he says, the main goal is clearing blocked routes, which have isolated the town.

“Efforts are underway to clear the main roads and critical lateral roads here so that we can get aid in. The majority of our supermarkets, if not all, were impacted negatively so they won’t be able to offer goods to persons who are in dire straits at this time,” he adds.

National leadership has seen the devastation first-hand, with an aerial tour of the area revealing the vast majority of roofs in the area had been destroyed.

“This will be a massive undertaking to rebuild Black River. But although it is destroyed, we can vision a future of it rising stronger and improved,” he informed local media.

“We will get it done. So maintain the optimism, remain hopeful, and we will overcome this challenge, and we will reconstruct stronger,” he affirmed.