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The mayor of Black River – an area referred to as “ground zero” for Hurricane Melissa – has shared the monstrous flooding and widespread devastation caused by the catastrophe.

Speaking on the traumatic ordeal, the mayor recalled riding out the Category 5 hurricane at an emergency operating centre.

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

Five individuals from the town are reported dead, but Solomon noted receiving word of additional deaths that are still being verified due to communication and travel challenges.

“Storm Melissa arrived around eight in the morning and continued for around nine 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 emergency operating centre. That was a bit scary for us, and we were hoping that it would not increase any further, because we were on the second floor, and I tell you, when we saw the water rising, it was a scary moment for us.”

Solomon stated that Black River, 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 more than half a million inhabitants without power. A landslide has obstructed the primary routes of Santa Cruz, where roadways have been reduced to muddy tracks. Locals are now sweeping water from their homes and attempting to salvage their belongings.

Search and rescue operations and damage assessments have proven extremely difficult because all the town’s vehicles and essential facilities such as firefighting, law enforcement, hospitals and supermarkets were “severely damaged,” notes Solomon.

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

“The mayor's car was completely covered by water. The roofing was lost, so I fully grasp the suffering that people are experiencing, but what is a key focus for me now is to concentrate on securing aid relief for the most at-risk at this point,” he says.

Solomon believes that it will take billions of Jamaican dollars to restore Black River after the hurricane's annihilation. At present, he says, the main goal is clearing 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 aid in. The majority of our stores, if not all, were severely affected so they won’t be able to provide supplies to persons who are in dire straits at this moment,” he adds.

The prime minister has seen the damage personally, with an aerial tour of the area revealing 80 to 90% of roofs in the area had been destroyed.

“It is going to be a enormous undertaking to rebuild Black River. But although it is destroyed, we can envision a future of it rising stronger and improved,” he told reporters.

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