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The local leader of the town of Black River – a community referred to as “ground zero” for Hurricane Melissa – has detailed the monstrous flooding and widespread destruction wrought by the disaster.

Reflecting on the traumatic ordeal, Richard Solomon described enduring the intense storm at an emergency operating centre.

“The entire town of this area is in ruins,” he said. “And that devastation is so catastrophic that the prime minister designated this area as the worst-hit zone.”

Several people from Black River are reported dead, but Solomon mentioned receiving word of other deaths that remain unconfirmed due to communication and transportation difficulties.

“The hurricane came around 8 a.m. and lasted 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 flooding at the response center. That 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 frankly, when we saw the water climbing, it was a terrifying moment for us.”

Solomon explained that Black River, located in the severely affected south-western region of St Elizabeth, is without running water and power, and the majority of buildings have lost their roofing. An authority previously described the town as flooded, with over half a million residents without power. A mudslide has obstructed the main roads of Santa Cruz, where roadways have been reduced to muddy tracks. Residents are now removing water from their houses and attempting to rescue their possessions.

Rescue efforts and evaluations have become almost impossible because all the town’s vehicles and critical services such as fire, police, medical centers and supermarkets were “severely damaged,” notes the mayor.

He is now concentrating on working to help the neediest residents, while also dealing with the individual toll of the disaster.

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

The mayor estimates that it will take billions of local currency to restore the community after the hurricane's annihilation. At present, he says, the priority is removing debris from blocked routes, which have cut off the town.

“We are now trying to get the main roads and secondary routes here so that we can get relief supplies in. Most of our stores, if not all, were impacted negatively so they will be unable to offer goods to individuals who are in dire straits at this moment,” he adds.

National leadership has seen the damage first-hand, with an flyover of the area showing 80 to 90% of buildings in the area had been lost.

“This will be a massive task to restore this historic town. But although it is damaged, we can envision a tomorrow of it emerging more resilient and better,” he told local media.

“It will be accomplished. So keep the positive outlook, keep hope alive, and we will overcome this challenge, and we will reconstruct stronger,” he affirmed.