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This local leader of the town of Black River – an area referred to as “ground zero” for Hurricane Melissa – has detailed the monstrous storm surges and widespread destruction wrought by the catastrophe.

Speaking on the traumatic ordeal, the mayor recalled riding out the intense storm at an emergency response center.

“Our community of this area is in ruins,” he said. “The destruction is so catastrophic that the national leader designated this area as ground zero.”

Several people from Black River are confirmed to have died, but Solomon mentioned receiving word of additional fatalities that are still being verified due to communication and transportation difficulties.

“Storm Melissa came around 8 a.m. and continued for around nine hours, during which we were pounded with heavy winds and torrential rainfall,” he added.

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

Solomon stated that Black River, situated in the severely affected south-western parish of St Elizabeth, is without running water and electricity, and most structures have had their roofing. One official earlier characterized the town as flooded, with more than 500,000 inhabitants lacking electricity. A landslide has blocked the primary routes of Santa Cruz, where roadways have been reduced to muddy tracks. Residents are now sweeping water from their homes and trying to rescue their belongings.

Rescue efforts and damage assessments have become almost impossible because all the town’s transport and essential facilities such as fire, law enforcement, medical centers and grocery stores were “immensely damaged,” notes Solomon.

The mayor is now focused on working to help the most vulnerable, while also dealing with the individual toll of the disaster.

“The mayor's car was completely covered by water. The roofing went, so I fully grasp the suffering that persons are experiencing, but what is a key focus for me now is to focus on securing assistance for the most vulnerable at this point,” he explains.

The mayor believes that it will take millions of local currency to restore Black River after the hurricane's annihilation. For now, he says, the main goal is clearing blocked routes, which have cut off the town.

“We are now trying to get the major thoroughfares and critical lateral roads here so that we can get aid in. Most of our stores, if not all, were impacted negatively so they won’t be able to offer goods to persons who are in dire straits at this moment,” he adds.

National leadership has seen the devastation personally, with an aerial tour of the region revealing 80 to 90% of roofs in the area had been destroyed.

“This will be a massive task to restore this historic town. But although it is destroyed, we can envision a tomorrow of it emerging more resilient and better,” he told reporters.

“We will get it done. So maintain the optimism, remain hopeful, and we will get through this, and we will rebuild better,” he said.