City Leader Leading Recovery Work at Hurricane Melissa's Epicenter

The mayor of Black River – a community described as “ground zero” for Hurricane Melissa – has detailed the immense storm surges and widespread devastation wrought by the catastrophe.

Speaking on the harrowing experience, Richard Solomon described enduring the Category 5 hurricane at an emergency response center.

“Our community of Black River is devastated,” he stated. “The destruction is so severe that the prime minister classified this area as ground zero.”

Five individuals from the town are confirmed dead, but Solomon noted receiving word of additional fatalities that remain unconfirmed due to connectivity and transportation challenges.

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

“We experienced up to 16ft of water at the response center. That 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 I tell you, when we saw the water climbing, it was a terrifying experience for us.”

The mayor explained that Black River, situated in the severely affected south-western region of St Elizabeth, is without running water and electricity, and most structures have lost their roofing. An authority earlier described the town as under water, with over half a million inhabitants lacking electricity. A mudslide has obstructed the main roads of Santa Cruz, where roadways have been reduced to mud pits. Locals are now sweeping water from their houses and trying to rescue their possessions.

Rescue efforts and evaluations have proven almost impossible because every one of the town’s vehicles and critical services such as fire, law enforcement, medical centers and grocery stores were “immensely damaged,” notes Solomon.

The mayor is now focused on working to help the neediest residents, while also dealing with the personal impact of the disaster.

“The mayor's car was totally submerged by water. My roof went, so I do understand the pain that people are experiencing, but what is a priority for me now is to concentrate on securing aid relief for the most at-risk at this point,” he explains.

The mayor believes that it will take billions of Jamaican dollars to restore the community after the hurricane's annihilation. At present, he states, the main goal is removing debris from blocked routes, which have cut off the town.

“Efforts are underway to get the main roads and critical lateral roads here so that we can deliver relief supplies in. Most of our supermarkets, if not all, were severely affected so they won’t be able to provide supplies to individuals 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 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 emerging more resilient and improved,” he informed reporters.

“We will get it done. So maintain the optimism, remain hopeful, and we will get through this, and we will reconstruct stronger,” he said.