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This mayor of the town of Black River – an area described as “ground zero” for the devastating storm – has detailed the immense flooding and widespread destruction wrought by the catastrophe.

Reflecting on the traumatic experience, the mayor described enduring the Category 5 hurricane at an emergency response center.

“The entire town of Black River is in ruins,” he said. “And that devastation is so severe that the national leader classified this area as the worst-hit zone.”

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

“Storm Melissa arrived around eight in the morning and continued for around several hours, during which we were battered with strong gusts and torrential rainfall,” he added.

“We experienced up to 16ft of flooding at the emergency operating centre. That was a frightening moment for us, and we were hoping that it would not increase any more, because we were on the upper level, and frankly, when we saw the water climbing, it was a terrifying moment for us.”

Solomon explained that Black River, located in the hard-hit south-western parish of St Elizabeth, is lacking water and power, and most structures have lost their roofs. An authority previously described the town as flooded, with over 500,000 residents lacking electricity. A landslide has blocked the main roads of Santa Cruz, where streets have been reduced to muddy tracks. Locals are now sweeping water from their homes and trying to rescue their belongings.

Rescue efforts and evaluations have become extremely difficult because all the town’s vehicles and critical services such as fire, police, hospitals and supermarkets were “severely damaged,” notes the mayor.

The mayor is now concentrating on trying to help the most vulnerable, while also coping with the personal impact of the devastation.

“My vehicle was completely submerged by water. The roofing was lost, so I do understand the suffering that people are experiencing, but what is a priority for me now is to focus on getting aid relief for the most vulnerable at this time,” he says.

Solomon estimates that it will take billions of Jamaican dollars to restore Black River after Melissa’s annihilation. For now, he states, the priority is clearing blocked routes, which have isolated the town.

“Efforts are underway to clear the main roads and critical lateral roads here so that we can deliver relief supplies in. Most 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 says.

National leadership has seen the devastation first-hand, with an aerial tour of the region revealing 80 to 90% of roofs in the area had been lost.

“It is going to be a enormous task to rebuild Black River. But although it is destroyed, we can vision a future of it emerging more resilient and better,” he told reporters.

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