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The local leader of the town of Black River – a community described as “the epicenter” for Hurricane Melissa – has detailed the monstrous flooding and extensive devastation wrought by the disaster.

Reflecting on the traumatic experience, Richard Solomon described riding out the intense storm at an emergency operating centre.

“Our community of Black River is devastated,” he said. “The destruction is so catastrophic that the national leader 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 connectivity and travel challenges.

“Storm Melissa arrived around 8 a.m. and continued for around several hours, during which we were battered with strong gusts and a lot of rain,” he added.

“We got up to 16ft of flooding at the response center. That was a frightening moment for us, and we were hoping 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 moment for us.”

The mayor stated that the town, situated in the severely affected south-western parish of St Elizabeth, is lacking water and power, and the majority of buildings have had their roofs. An authority previously characterized the town as flooded, with more than half a million residents lacking electricity. A mudslide has obstructed the main roads of a nearby area, where streets have been reduced to muddy tracks. Residents are now removing water from their houses and trying to rescue their possessions.

Rescue efforts and damage assessments have become extremely difficult because every one of the town’s transport and essential facilities such as fire, law enforcement, hospitals and supermarkets were “severely damaged,” notes the mayor.

He is now concentrating on working to assist the neediest residents, while also coping with the personal impact of the disaster.

“The mayor's car was totally submerged by water. The roofing went, so I fully grasp the pain that persons are feeling, but what is a key focus for me now is to concentrate on securing assistance for the most at-risk at this point,” he explains.

The mayor estimates that it will take billions of local currency to restore Black River after Melissa’s annihilation. For now, he states, the main goal is removing debris from blocked routes, 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 supermarkets, 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.

The prime minister has seen the damage personally, with an aerial tour of the region showing 80 to 90% of roofs in the area had been lost.

“This will be a enormous task to rebuild Black River. But while it is destroyed, we can vision a future of it emerging stronger and improved,” he informed reporters.

“We will get it done. So keep the optimism, remain hopeful, and we will get through this, and we will rebuild better,” he said.