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This mayor of the town of Black River – an area referred to as “the epicenter” for the devastating storm – has detailed the monstrous flooding and extensive destruction wrought by the catastrophe.

Speaking on the harrowing ordeal, the mayor recalled 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 catastrophic that the national leader designated this area as ground zero.”

Several people from Black River are reported to have died, but Solomon noted hearing reports of other fatalities that remain unconfirmed due to communication and transportation difficulties.

“Storm Melissa came around eight in the morning and lasted for around nine 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. It was a bit scary for us, and we were praying that it would not rise any further, because we were on the upper level, and I tell you, when we saw the water rising, it was a terrifying experience for us.”

The mayor stated that the town, situated in the severely affected south-western region of the area, is lacking water and power, and most buildings have had their roofs. An authority previously described the town as flooded, with over half a million residents lacking electricity. A landslide has blocked the primary routes of a nearby area, where roadways have been reduced to mud pits. Locals are now removing water from their houses and attempting to rescue their possessions.

Search and rescue operations and evaluations have proven extremely difficult because every one of the town’s vehicles and critical services such as fire, police, hospitals and supermarkets were “immensely damaged,” says Solomon.

The mayor is now focused on working to assist the most vulnerable, while also coping with the personal impact of the devastation.

“The mayor's car was completely covered by water. My roof was lost, so I do understand the suffering that persons are experiencing, but what is a key focus for me now is to concentrate on getting assistance for the most vulnerable at this time,” he explains.

Solomon believes that it will take billions of Jamaican dollars to restore the community after Melissa’s annihilation. At present, he says, the main goal is clearing blocked routes, which have cut off the town.

“We are now trying to clear the main roads and critical lateral roads here so that we can get relief supplies in. Most of our supermarkets, if not all, were severely affected so they will be unable to provide supplies to persons who are in dire straits at this moment,” he adds.

The prime minister has witnessed the devastation first-hand, with an flyover of the region showing the vast majority of roofs 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 tomorrow of it emerging stronger and improved,” he informed local media.

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