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This local leader of the town of Black River – a community described as “the epicenter” for Hurricane Melissa – has detailed the immense storm surges and extensive destruction caused by the disaster.

Speaking on the harrowing experience, Richard Solomon described riding out the Category 5 hurricane at an emergency operating centre.

“Our community of this area is devastated,” he stated. “And that devastation is so catastrophic that the national leader designated this area as ground zero.”

Several people from the town are reported to have died, but Solomon noted receiving word of other deaths that are still being verified due to communication and transportation challenges.

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

“We got up to 4.8 metres of flooding at the response center. It was a frightening moment for us, and we were hoping that it would not rise any further, because we were on the upper level, and frankly, when we saw the water climbing, it was a scary experience for us.”

Solomon explained that Black River, situated in the severely affected southwest parish of St Elizabeth, is without water and power, and the majority of buildings have lost their roofs. One official earlier described the town as under water, with more than half a million inhabitants without power. A mudslide has blocked the primary routes of Santa Cruz, where roadways have been reduced to mud pits. Residents are now sweeping water from their homes and attempting to rescue their possessions.

Rescue efforts and damage assessments have proven extremely difficult because every one of the town’s transport and essential facilities such as firefighting, law enforcement, medical centers and supermarkets were “severely damaged,” says the mayor.

The mayor is now concentrating on working to help the neediest residents, while also dealing with the individual toll of the devastation.

“My vehicle was totally covered by water. The roofing was lost, so I do understand the pain that persons are feeling, but what is a priority for me now is to concentrate on getting assistance for the most at-risk at this time,” he says.

Solomon believes that it will take millions of local currency to restore Black River after the hurricane's annihilation. For now, he says, the priority is removing debris from impassable roads, which have isolated the town.

“We are now trying to clear the major thoroughfares 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 persons who are in need at this moment,” he adds.

National leadership has seen the devastation personally, with an flyover of the area revealing 80 to 90% of roofs in the area had been destroyed.

“This will be a enormous undertaking to rebuild this historic town. But while it is destroyed, we can vision a tomorrow of it rising stronger and better,” he informed local media.

“It will be accomplished. So keep the positive outlook, keep hope alive, and we will get through this, and we will rebuild better,” he said.