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This mayor of Black River – an area described as “ground zero” for Hurricane Melissa – has shared the monstrous storm surges and widespread devastation wrought by the catastrophe.

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

“The entire town of this area is devastated,” he stated. “The destruction is so severe that the national leader designated this area as the worst-hit zone.”

Several people from Black River are confirmed dead, but Solomon mentioned receiving word of other deaths that remain unconfirmed due to communication and travel challenges.

“Storm Melissa arrived 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 16ft of water at the emergency operating centre. It was a frightening moment for us, and we were hoping that it would not rise any further, because we were on the second floor, and I tell you, when we saw the water climbing, it was a scary moment for us.”

Solomon explained that the town, situated in the severely affected south-western parish of St Elizabeth, is lacking running water and electricity, and most buildings have lost their roofing. An authority previously described the town as under water, with over 500,000 residents lacking electricity. A landslide has blocked the main roads of a nearby area, where roadways have been reduced to muddy tracks. Residents are now removing water from their homes and attempting to salvage their possessions.

Search and rescue operations and evaluations have proven almost impossible because every one of the town’s transport and essential facilities such as fire, police, medical centers and supermarkets were “severely damaged,” notes Solomon.

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

“My vehicle was completely covered by water. The roofing went, so I do understand the suffering that people are feeling, but what is a key focus for me now is to concentrate on getting assistance for the most at-risk at this time,” he says.

The mayor estimates that it will take millions of Jamaican dollars to restore the community after Melissa’s annihilation. At present, he states, the priority is removing debris from impassable roads, which have cut off the town.

“Efforts are underway 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 severely affected so they will be unable to offer goods to individuals who are in dire straits at this moment,” he says.

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 lost.

“This will be a massive undertaking to rebuild Black River. But while it is damaged, we can vision a tomorrow of it emerging more resilient and improved,” he informed reporters.

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