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This mayor of the town of Black River – an area described as “ground zero” for the devastating storm – has shared the monstrous flooding and extensive devastation caused by the catastrophe.

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

“The entire town of this area is in ruins,” he said. “The destruction is so severe that the national leader designated this area as ground zero.”

Several people from Black River are reported dead, but the mayor noted hearing reports of additional fatalities that remain unconfirmed due to connectivity and travel difficulties.

“Storm Melissa arrived around 8 a.m. and continued for around nine hours, during which we were battered with strong gusts and a lot of rain,” he explained.

“We got up to 16ft of water at the response center. It was a bit scary for us, and we were praying that it would not increase any further, because we were on the second floor, and I tell you, when we saw the water climbing, it was a terrifying moment for us.”

The mayor explained that the town, located in the severely affected south-western region of the area, is without running water and power, and most buildings have lost their roofs. An authority previously characterized the town as under water, with more than 500,000 inhabitants lacking electricity. A landslide has blocked the main roads of Santa Cruz, where streets have been turned to mud pits. Locals are now sweeping water from their homes and trying to salvage their possessions.

Rescue efforts and damage assessments have proven almost impossible because every one of the town’s transport and essential facilities such as firefighting, police, medical centers and grocery stores were “immensely damaged,” says the mayor.

He is now concentrating on working to assist the most vulnerable, while also coping with the individual toll of the disaster.

“My vehicle was completely submerged by water. The roofing went, so I do understand the pain that people are feeling, but what is a priority for me now is to focus on getting aid relief for the most vulnerable at this time,” he explains.

The mayor estimates that it will take millions of Jamaican dollars to rebuild Black River after Melissa’s annihilation. At present, he says, the main goal is clearing impassable roads, which have isolated the town.

“We are now trying to clear the major thoroughfares and critical lateral roads here so that we can get relief supplies in. The majority of our supermarkets, if not all, were impacted negatively so they will be unable to provide supplies to individuals who are in dire straits at this time,” he adds.

National leadership has seen the damage first-hand, with an flyover of the area showing the vast majority of roofs in the area had been lost.

“This will be a enormous undertaking to restore this historic town. But while it is damaged, we can envision a future of it rising stronger and improved,” he told local media.

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