🔗 Share this article

The mayor of Black River – an area described as “ground zero” for Hurricane Melissa – has shared the monstrous storm surges and extensive devastation wrought by the disaster.

Reflecting on the harrowing experience, the mayor recalled enduring the Category 5 hurricane at an emergency operating centre.

“The entire town of this area is devastated,” he said. “And that devastation is so severe that the prime minister designated this area as ground zero.”

Five individuals from the town are reported dead, but Solomon noted hearing reports of additional fatalities that are still being verified due to communication and transportation difficulties.

“Storm Melissa arrived around 8 a.m. and lasted for around several hours, during which we were pounded with heavy winds and a lot of rain,” he explained.

“We experienced up to 16ft of flooding at the emergency operating centre. It was a bit scary for us, and we were hoping that it would not rise any further, because we were on the second floor, and frankly, when we saw the water climbing, it was a scary experience for us.”

Solomon stated that Black River, located in the severely affected south-western region of the area, is lacking water and electricity, and the majority of buildings have had their roofs. An authority earlier characterized the town as flooded, with over 500,000 inhabitants lacking electricity. A mudslide has blocked the primary routes of Santa Cruz, where roadways have been reduced to mud pits. Locals are now sweeping water from their homes and attempting to salvage their belongings.

Rescue efforts and damage assessments have become almost impossible because every one of the town’s vehicles and essential facilities such as fire, police, hospitals and supermarkets were “immensely damaged,” notes the mayor.

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

“My vehicle was completely covered by water. The roofing went, so I fully grasp the suffering that persons are experiencing, but what is a priority for me now is to concentrate on getting aid relief for the most vulnerable at this time,” he says.

The mayor believes that it will take billions of Jamaican dollars to restore the community after Melissa’s annihilation. At present, he states, the priority 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. The majority of our stores, if not all, were severely affected so they will be unable to provide supplies to persons who are in need at this time,” he says.

National leadership has seen the damage personally, with an aerial tour of the area revealing 80 to 90% of buildings in the area had been destroyed.

“This will be a enormous task to restore Black River. But although it is damaged, we can vision a tomorrow of it emerging more resilient and better,” he informed reporters.

“It will be accomplished. So maintain the positive outlook, remain hopeful, and we will overcome this challenge, and we will reconstruct stronger,” he affirmed.