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The mayor of the town of Black River – a community referred to as “the epicenter” for the devastating storm – has shared the immense storm surges and widespread devastation caused by the catastrophe.

Reflecting on the traumatic ordeal, Richard Solomon recalled enduring the Category 5 storm at an emergency operating centre.

“Our community of this area is in ruins,” he said. “The destruction is so severe that the prime minister designated this area as ground zero.”

Several people from the town are reported dead, but Solomon mentioned receiving word of additional fatalities that remain unconfirmed due to communication and travel difficulties.

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

“We experienced up to 4.8 metres of flooding at the response center. It was a frightening moment for us, and we were praying that it would not increase any further, because we were on the upper level, and I tell you, when we saw the water climbing, it was a terrifying experience for us.”

Solomon stated that the town, located in the hard-hit southwest region of St Elizabeth, is lacking running water and power, and the majority of structures have had their roofs. An authority earlier characterized the town as under water, with more than half a million inhabitants lacking electricity. A mudslide has blocked the main roads of a nearby area, where roadways have been reduced to mud pits. Locals are now sweeping water from their houses and attempting to salvage their possessions.

Rescue efforts and damage assessments have become extremely difficult because all the town’s transport and essential facilities such as fire, police, medical centers and supermarkets were “immensely damaged,” notes Solomon.

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

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

The mayor estimates that it will take billions of Jamaican dollars to rebuild Black River after the hurricane's destruction. For now, he states, the main goal is clearing blocked routes, which have cut off the town.

“We are now trying to clear the main roads and secondary routes here so that we can deliver relief supplies in. Most of our supermarkets, if not all, were impacted negatively so they won’t be able to provide supplies to individuals who are in dire straits at this moment,” he says.

The prime minister has witnessed the damage first-hand, with an flyover of the region revealing 80 to 90% of roofs in the area had been destroyed.

“It is going to be a massive undertaking to restore this historic town. But while it is destroyed, we can vision a tomorrow of it emerging stronger and better,” he informed 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 said.