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The local leader of the town of Black River – an area described as “ground zero” for Hurricane Melissa – has detailed the immense storm surges and widespread devastation wrought by the disaster.

Speaking on the traumatic ordeal, Richard Solomon recalled riding out the Category 5 storm at an emergency operating centre.

“Our community of this area is in ruins,” he stated. “And that devastation is so severe that the prime minister designated this area as the worst-hit zone.”

Five individuals from the town are reported to have died, but Solomon noted hearing reports of additional deaths that are still being verified due to connectivity 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 a lot of rain,” he explained.

“We got up to 4.8 metres of water at the emergency operating centre. It was a bit scary for us, and we were praying that it would not increase any more, because we were on the upper level, and I tell you, when we saw the water rising, it was a scary experience for us.”

The mayor stated that the town, situated in the severely affected southwest parish of the area, is lacking water and power, and most buildings have lost their roofing. One official earlier characterized the town as flooded, with over half a million residents lacking electricity. A mudslide has obstructed the main roads of a nearby area, where roadways have been turned to mud pits. Residents are now removing water from their homes and trying to rescue their belongings.

Search and rescue operations and damage assessments have become almost impossible because all the town’s vehicles and critical services such as firefighting, law enforcement, medical centers and grocery stores were “immensely damaged,” notes the mayor.

He is now concentrating on trying to help the most vulnerable, while also dealing with the individual toll of the devastation.

“My vehicle was completely covered by water. The roofing was lost, so I fully grasp the suffering that people are feeling, but what is a priority for me now is to focus on securing aid relief for the most vulnerable at this time,” he says.

The mayor believes that it will take millions of Jamaican dollars to restore Black River after the hurricane's destruction. At present, he says, the main goal is removing debris from impassable roads, which have isolated the town.

“Efforts are underway to clear the major thoroughfares and secondary routes here so that we can deliver relief supplies in. Most of our stores, if not all, were impacted negatively so they won’t be able to offer goods to individuals who are in dire straits at this time,” he says.

The prime minister has seen the damage personally, with an aerial tour of the region showing the vast majority of roofs in the area had been lost.

“This will be a enormous undertaking to rebuild this historic town. But while it is destroyed, we can vision a tomorrow of it emerging more resilient and better,” he told reporters.

“We will get it done. So keep the positive outlook, keep hope alive, and we will get through this, and we will rebuild better,” he affirmed.