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This mayor of the town of Black River – a community referred to as “the epicenter” for the devastating storm – has detailed the monstrous storm surges and widespread destruction wrought by the catastrophe.

Speaking on the harrowing experience, Richard Solomon recalled enduring the intense hurricane at an emergency response center.

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

Five individuals from Black River are confirmed to have died, but the mayor noted hearing reports of other deaths that are still being verified due to connectivity and transportation difficulties.

“Storm Melissa arrived around 8 a.m. and lasted for around several hours, during which we were pounded with strong gusts and torrential rainfall,” he added.

“We experienced up to 16ft of water at the emergency operating centre. That was a frightening moment for us, and we were praying that it would not increase any more, because we were on the second floor, and I tell you, when we saw the water rising, it was a scary moment for us.”

Solomon explained that Black River, located in the severely affected southwest region of St Elizabeth, is lacking water and electricity, and the majority of structures have had their roofs. An authority earlier described the town as flooded, with over 500,000 residents lacking electricity. A landslide has blocked the primary routes of a nearby area, where roadways have been reduced to mud pits. Locals are now sweeping water from their homes and trying to rescue their possessions.

Search and rescue operations and evaluations have proven extremely difficult because every one of the town’s transport and critical services such as fire, police, hospitals and grocery stores were “severely damaged,” says the mayor.

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

“The mayor's car was completely submerged by water. The roofing went, so I fully grasp the suffering that people are feeling, but what is a key focus for me now is to focus on getting assistance for the most vulnerable at this time,” he says.

The mayor believes that it will take billions of Jamaican dollars to rebuild Black River after Melissa’s destruction. At present, he says, the priority is removing debris from impassable roads, which have cut off the town.

“We are now trying to clear the main roads and secondary routes here so that we can get aid in. Most of our stores, if not all, were impacted negatively so they will be unable to provide supplies to individuals who are in need at this time,” he says.

The prime minister has seen the damage first-hand, with an aerial tour of the area revealing 80 to 90% of roofs in the area had been lost.

“It is going to be a massive task to restore this historic town. But although it is destroyed, we can vision a tomorrow of it emerging stronger and improved,” he told local media.

“It will be accomplished. So maintain the positive outlook, remain hopeful, and we will get through this, and we will reconstruct stronger,” he affirmed.