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The local leader of the town of Black River – an area referred to as “ground zero” for the devastating storm – has shared the immense storm surges and extensive destruction wrought by the catastrophe.

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

“Our community of this area is devastated,” he said. “And that devastation is so catastrophic that the national leader classified this area as ground zero.”

Several people from the town are confirmed to have died, but the mayor noted hearing reports of additional fatalities that remain unconfirmed due to communication and transportation challenges.

“The hurricane arrived around eight in the morning and continued for around nine hours, during which we were pounded with strong gusts and torrential rainfall,” he added.

“We got up to 16ft of flooding at the response center. That was a frightening moment for us, and we were praying that it would not rise any more, because we were on the upper level, and frankly, when we saw the water climbing, it was a scary moment for us.”

Solomon explained that Black River, located in the severely affected southwest region of the area, is without running water and power, and the majority of structures have had their roofs. An authority previously characterized the town as under water, with over 500,000 residents lacking electricity. A landslide has obstructed the primary routes of a nearby area, where streets have been turned to mud pits. Residents are now removing water from their houses and trying to rescue their belongings.

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

The mayor is now focused on working to assist the most vulnerable, while also coping with the individual toll of the disaster.

“My vehicle was totally covered by water. My roof was lost, so I do understand the suffering that persons are feeling, but what is a priority for me now is to concentrate on securing aid relief for the most at-risk at this time,” he says.

Solomon estimates that it will take billions of Jamaican dollars to rebuild the community after Melissa’s destruction. At present, he says, the main goal is removing debris from impassable roads, which have isolated the town.

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

The prime minister has witnessed the damage personally, with an aerial tour of the region revealing the vast majority of buildings in the area had been lost.

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

“We will get it done. So keep the optimism, keep hope alive, and we will overcome this challenge, and we will rebuild better,” he affirmed.