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The mayor of Black River – a community referred to as “the epicenter” for the devastating storm – has shared the immense storm surges and extensive destruction wrought by the catastrophe.

Reflecting on the harrowing experience, the mayor recalled riding out the Category 5 storm at an emergency response center.

“Our community of Black River is in ruins,” he said. “The destruction is so catastrophic that the national leader designated this area as the worst-hit zone.”

Five individuals from the town are reported dead, but Solomon mentioned receiving word of additional fatalities that remain unconfirmed due to connectivity and travel difficulties.

“Storm Melissa arrived around eight in the morning and lasted for around nine hours, during which we were pounded with heavy winds and a lot of rain,” he explained.

“We got up to 16ft of water at the emergency operating centre. It was a frightening moment for us, and we were hoping that it would not increase any further, because we were on the second floor, and frankly, when we saw the water rising, it was a terrifying experience for us.”

The mayor explained that the town, situated in the severely affected southwest region of St Elizabeth, is without running water and power, and the majority of structures have lost their roofs. An authority earlier characterized the town as flooded, with over half a million inhabitants without power. A mudslide has blocked the main roads of a nearby area, where roadways have been turned to muddy tracks. Residents are now removing water from their houses and trying to rescue their belongings.

Search and rescue operations and damage assessments have become extremely difficult because every one of the town’s transport and essential facilities such as firefighting, law enforcement, medical centers and grocery stores were “severely damaged,” notes Solomon.

He is now concentrating on trying to help the most vulnerable, while also dealing with the individual toll of the devastation.

“The mayor's car was totally submerged by water. The roofing was lost, so I do understand the suffering that people are feeling, but what is a priority for me now is to focus on securing aid relief for the most at-risk at this time,” he explains.

The mayor believes that it will take billions of Jamaican dollars to rebuild the community after Melissa’s annihilation. At present, he states, the main goal is clearing impassable roads, which have cut off the town.

“We are now trying to get the main roads and critical lateral roads here so that we can deliver relief supplies in. Most of our supermarkets, if not all, were impacted negatively so they won’t be able to provide supplies to individuals who are in dire straits at this moment,” he says.

The prime minister has seen the devastation personally, with an aerial tour of the area showing the vast majority of buildings in the area had been destroyed.

“This will be a enormous undertaking to rebuild this historic town. But although it is damaged, we can envision a future of it rising stronger and better,” he informed local media.

“It will be accomplished. So maintain the positive outlook, remain hopeful, and we will overcome this challenge, and we will rebuild better,” he said.