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This local leader of the town of Black River – a community referred to as “ground zero” for the devastating storm – has shared the monstrous flooding and extensive devastation wrought by the catastrophe.

Reflecting on the harrowing experience, Richard Solomon described enduring the Category 5 storm at an emergency response center.

“Our community of Black River is devastated,” he said. “And that devastation is so catastrophic that the prime minister designated this area as ground zero.”

Several people from the town are reported to have died, but Solomon mentioned hearing reports of other deaths that remain unconfirmed due to connectivity and travel challenges.

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

“We experienced up to 16ft of water at the response center. That was a frightening moment for us, and we were praying that it would not rise any further, because we were on the second floor, and frankly, when we saw the water rising, it was a scary experience for us.”

Solomon stated that Black River, located in the hard-hit south-western parish of the area, is lacking running water and power, and the majority of structures have had their roofs. One official earlier characterized the town as under water, with more than half a million residents lacking electricity. A landslide has obstructed the primary routes of a nearby area, where roadways have been reduced to muddy tracks. Locals are now removing water from their homes and trying to rescue their possessions.

Rescue efforts and evaluations have become extremely difficult because every one of the town’s transport and critical services such as firefighting, law enforcement, medical centers and grocery stores were “immensely damaged,” notes the mayor.

The mayor is now concentrating on trying to assist the neediest residents, while also dealing with the individual toll of the devastation.

“My vehicle was completely submerged by water. The roofing went, so I fully grasp the suffering that persons are experiencing, but what is a priority for me now is to concentrate on getting assistance for the most vulnerable at this time,” he explains.

Solomon believes that it will take millions of Jamaican dollars to rebuild the community after the hurricane's destruction. For now, he says, the priority is clearing impassable roads, which have cut off the town.

“Efforts are underway to get the major thoroughfares and critical lateral roads here so that we can deliver 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 time,” he adds.

National leadership has seen the damage personally, with an flyover of the region revealing the vast majority of buildings in the area had been destroyed.

“This will be a massive task to rebuild this historic town. But while it is damaged, we can vision a future of it rising more resilient and better,” he told local media.

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