🔗 Share this article

This local leader of Black River – a community described as “the epicenter” for Hurricane Melissa – has shared the immense storm surges and extensive destruction wrought by the catastrophe.

Speaking on the traumatic ordeal, Richard Solomon described riding out the intense hurricane at an emergency operating centre.

“Our community of Black River is in ruins,” he said. “And that devastation is so catastrophic that the national leader designated this area as ground zero.”

Five individuals from Black River are reported dead, but the mayor noted receiving word of other fatalities that remain unconfirmed due to communication and transportation challenges.

“The hurricane arrived around 8 a.m. and continued for around nine hours, during which we were battered with heavy winds and torrential rainfall,” he explained.

“We experienced up to 16ft of water at the emergency operating centre. That was a bit scary for us, and we were praying that it would not increase any further, because we were on the upper level, and frankly, when we saw the water climbing, it was a scary experience for us.”

The mayor explained that the town, located in the severely affected southwest parish of St Elizabeth, is lacking running water and power, and the majority of buildings have had their roofs. An authority previously characterized the town as flooded, with over 500,000 residents without power. A mudslide has blocked the main roads of a nearby area, where streets have been reduced to mud pits. Locals are now removing water from their homes and attempting to rescue their belongings.

Rescue efforts and damage assessments have become almost impossible because every one of the town’s transport and essential facilities such as firefighting, law enforcement, medical centers and supermarkets were “immensely damaged,” notes the mayor.

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

“The mayor's car was completely covered by water. My roof was lost, so I fully grasp the pain that people are feeling, but what is a key focus for me now is to focus on securing assistance for the most at-risk at this time,” he explains.

Solomon estimates that it will take millions of local currency to rebuild the community after the hurricane's annihilation. For now, he states, the priority is clearing blocked routes, which have isolated the town.

“We are now trying to get the main roads and secondary routes here so that we can deliver relief supplies in. Most of our stores, if not all, were severely affected so they will be unable to offer goods to persons who are in dire straits at this time,” he says.

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

“This will be a enormous task to rebuild this historic town. But while it is damaged, we can envision a tomorrow of it rising more resilient and better,” he told local media.

“It will be accomplished. So maintain the optimism, remain hopeful, and we will get through this, and we will rebuild better,” he affirmed.