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This mayor of the town of Black River – a community described as “ground zero” for Hurricane Melissa – has detailed the monstrous flooding and widespread destruction wrought by the catastrophe.

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

“The entire town of this area is in ruins,” he stated. “The destruction is so catastrophic that the prime minister classified this area as the worst-hit zone.”

Several people from Black River are reported to have died, but Solomon mentioned hearing reports of additional deaths that are still being verified due to communication and travel challenges.

“Storm Melissa arrived around eight in the morning and lasted for around several hours, during which we were pounded with heavy winds and torrential rainfall,” he added.

“We got up to 16ft of water at the response center. It was a bit scary for us, and we were hoping that it would not increase any more, because we were on the upper level, and frankly, when we saw the water rising, it was a scary experience for us.”

Solomon explained that the town, located in the severely affected southwest region of St Elizabeth, is lacking water and power, and the majority of structures have lost their roofing. One official earlier characterized the town as under water, with over 500,000 inhabitants lacking electricity. A landslide has blocked the primary routes of Santa Cruz, where streets have been reduced to mud pits. Locals are now removing water from their houses and trying to rescue their belongings.

Search and rescue operations and damage assessments have proven extremely difficult because every one of the town’s transport and essential facilities such as firefighting, law enforcement, hospitals and supermarkets were “immensely damaged,” says the mayor.

The mayor is now focused on trying to assist the neediest residents, while also coping with the individual toll of the disaster.

“My vehicle was totally covered by water. My roof was lost, so I fully grasp the pain that people are feeling, but what is a key focus for me now is to focus on securing aid relief for the most vulnerable at this point,” he says.

Solomon believes that it will take millions of local currency to restore the community after Melissa’s destruction. At present, he says, the priority is clearing blocked routes, which have cut off the town.

“We are now trying to get the main roads and critical lateral roads here so that we can get aid in. The majority of our supermarkets, if not all, were severely affected so they won’t be able to offer goods to persons who are in dire straits at this time,” he adds.

National leadership has witnessed the damage first-hand, with an aerial tour of the region showing the vast majority of buildings in the area had been lost.

“This will be a enormous task to rebuild Black River. But while it is destroyed, we can envision a future of it emerging stronger and improved,” he informed local media.

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