🔗 Share this article

This mayor of Black River – a community referred to as “the epicenter” for the devastating storm – has detailed the immense flooding and widespread devastation caused by the disaster.

Speaking on the traumatic experience, the mayor recalled riding out the intense storm at an emergency operating centre.

“Our community of this area is in ruins,” he stated. “And that devastation is so catastrophic that the prime minister classified this area as ground zero.”

Five individuals from the town are reported to have died, but Solomon noted receiving word of additional deaths that remain unconfirmed due to communication and travel difficulties.

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

“We got up to 4.8 metres of water at the emergency operating centre. That was a bit scary for us, and we were hoping that it would not increase any more, because we were on the second floor, and I tell you, when we saw the water climbing, it was a scary experience for us.”

The mayor explained that Black River, located in the severely affected south-western region of St Elizabeth, is lacking running water and power, and most buildings have lost their roofs. An authority previously characterized the town as flooded, with over 500,000 residents without power. A mudslide has blocked the main roads of Santa Cruz, where streets have been turned to mud pits. Locals are now removing water from their homes and trying to rescue their belongings.

Rescue efforts and damage assessments have proven extremely difficult because all the town’s transport and essential facilities such as firefighting, law enforcement, medical centers and grocery stores were “immensely damaged,” says Solomon.

He is now focused on trying to help the neediest residents, while also dealing with the individual toll of the disaster.

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

The mayor believes that it will take millions of Jamaican dollars to restore the community after Melissa’s destruction. At present, he states, the main goal is removing debris from impassable roads, which have cut off the town.

“We are now trying to get the main roads and secondary routes here so that we can deliver aid in. Most of our stores, if not all, were severely affected so they will be unable to provide supplies to individuals who are in need at this moment,” he adds.

National leadership has witnessed the damage first-hand, with an flyover of the area showing 80 to 90% of buildings in the area had been destroyed.

“It is going to be a enormous undertaking to restore this historic town. But although it is destroyed, we can vision a future of it emerging more resilient and improved,” he informed reporters.

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