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This mayor of Black River – an area described as “the epicenter” for Hurricane Melissa – has detailed the monstrous storm surges and extensive devastation wrought by the disaster.

Reflecting on the traumatic ordeal, Richard Solomon 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 the worst-hit zone.”

Several people from the town are reported to have died, but the mayor noted receiving word of additional deaths that are still being verified due to connectivity and travel challenges.

“The hurricane arrived around 8 a.m. and continued for around several hours, during which we were pounded with heavy winds and torrential rainfall,” he explained.

“We experienced up to 16ft of water at the emergency operating centre. That was a bit scary for us, and we were praying that it would not rise any further, because we were on the upper level, and I tell you, when we saw the water rising, it was a scary experience for us.”

Solomon explained that Black River, located in the severely affected southwest region of the area, is lacking running water and power, and most structures have lost their roofing. One official previously characterized the town as flooded, with over half a million residents lacking electricity. A mudslide has blocked the main roads of Santa Cruz, where streets have been reduced to muddy tracks. Residents are now sweeping water from their houses and trying to rescue their belongings.

Rescue efforts and damage assessments have proven extremely difficult because all the town’s transport and critical services such as fire, police, hospitals and grocery stores were “immensely damaged,” notes the mayor.

The mayor is now focused on working to help the neediest residents, while also dealing with the personal impact of the devastation.

“My vehicle was totally 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 point,” he explains.

The mayor believes that it will take billions of Jamaican dollars to restore Black River after the hurricane's annihilation. For now, he says, the priority is removing debris from 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 stores, if not all, were impacted negatively so they will be unable to provide supplies to persons who are in need at this moment,” he adds.

National leadership has seen the devastation personally, with an aerial tour of the region showing the vast majority of roofs in the area had been destroyed.

“It is going to be a enormous undertaking to rebuild Black River. But while it is damaged, we can vision a tomorrow of it rising more resilient and improved,” he told reporters.

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