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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 storm surges and widespread destruction caused by the disaster.

Reflecting on the traumatic experience, the mayor described riding out the intense storm at an emergency response center.

“The entire town of this area is devastated,” he stated. “And that devastation is so severe that the prime minister classified this area as ground zero.”

Several people from the town are confirmed dead, but Solomon noted hearing reports of additional deaths that remain unconfirmed due to connectivity and travel difficulties.

“The hurricane came around 8 a.m. and continued for around several hours, during which we were pounded with heavy winds and a lot of rain,” he explained.

“We experienced up to 16ft of water at the response center. It was a frightening moment for us, and we were hoping that it would not increase any further, because we were on the upper level, and frankly, when we saw the water climbing, it was a terrifying experience for us.”

The mayor explained that the town, situated in the severely affected south-western region of St Elizabeth, is without running water and power, and most structures have had their roofing. One official earlier characterized the town as flooded, with over half a million residents lacking electricity. A mudslide has blocked the primary routes of a nearby area, where roadways have been reduced to muddy tracks. Residents are now sweeping water from their homes and attempting to salvage their belongings.

Rescue efforts and damage assessments have become almost impossible because every one of the town’s vehicles and essential facilities such as firefighting, law enforcement, hospitals and supermarkets were “immensely damaged,” says Solomon.

The mayor is now focused on working to assist the most vulnerable, while also coping with the personal impact of the devastation.

“The mayor's car was totally submerged 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 getting assistance for the most vulnerable at this point,” he explains.

The mayor estimates that it will take billions of local currency 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 get the major thoroughfares and critical lateral roads here so that we can deliver aid in. The majority of our supermarkets, if not all, were impacted negatively so they will be unable to offer goods to persons who are in need at this time,” he says.

The prime minister has witnessed the damage first-hand, with an flyover of the area revealing 80 to 90% of buildings in the area had been lost.

“It is going to be a massive undertaking to rebuild Black River. But while it is destroyed, we can envision a future of it emerging more resilient and better,” he told local media.

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