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

Speaking on the traumatic experience, the mayor recalled riding out the Category 5 storm at an emergency response center.

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

Several people from Black River are reported to have died, but the mayor mentioned hearing reports of additional deaths that remain unconfirmed due to connectivity and travel difficulties.

“Storm Melissa arrived around eight in the morning and continued for around nine hours, during which we were battered with heavy winds and a lot of rain,” he explained.

“We got up to 16ft of water at the response center. It was a frightening moment for us, and we were hoping that it would not rise any more, because we were on the second floor, and I tell you, when we saw the water rising, it was a terrifying experience for us.”

Solomon explained that Black River, situated in the severely affected south-western region of St Elizabeth, is lacking running water and power, and most structures have had their roofing. One official previously described the town as under water, with over 500,000 residents without power. A landslide has obstructed the main roads of a nearby area, where streets have been turned to mud pits. Locals are now sweeping water from their homes and trying to rescue their possessions.

Rescue efforts and damage assessments have become almost impossible because every one of the town’s vehicles and critical services such as firefighting, law enforcement, medical centers and grocery stores were “immensely damaged,” says the mayor.

He is now concentrating on trying to help the most vulnerable, while also dealing with the personal impact of the devastation.

“My vehicle was completely submerged by water. My roof was lost, so I fully grasp the suffering that persons are feeling, but what is a priority for me now is to concentrate on securing aid relief for the most at-risk at this time,” he explains.

Solomon believes that it will take millions of Jamaican dollars to rebuild Black River after Melissa’s destruction. For now, he states, the main goal is clearing impassable roads, which have isolated the town.

“Efforts are underway 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 provide supplies to individuals who are in dire straits at this moment,” he adds.

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

“It is going to be a enormous undertaking to restore Black River. But while it is destroyed, we can vision a tomorrow of it rising stronger and better,” he told local media.

“We will get it done. So keep the positive outlook, keep hope alive, and we will get through this, and we will reconstruct stronger,” he said.