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This mayor of the town of Black River – an area described as “ground zero” for Hurricane Melissa – has detailed the immense storm surges and extensive destruction wrought by the catastrophe.

Speaking on the traumatic ordeal, the mayor recalled riding out the intense hurricane at an emergency operating centre.

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

Several people from the town are reported to have died, but Solomon mentioned receiving word of other fatalities that remain unconfirmed due to connectivity and transportation difficulties.

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

“We experienced up to 16ft of flooding at the emergency operating centre. It was a frightening moment for us, and we were hoping that it would not rise any more, because we were on the upper level, and I tell you, when we saw the water rising, it was a terrifying moment for us.”

The mayor explained that the town, located in the severely affected south-western region of St Elizabeth, is lacking water and power, and the majority of buildings have had their roofs. One official previously characterized the town as under water, with more than 500,000 inhabitants lacking electricity. A landslide has blocked the main roads of Santa Cruz, where roadways have been turned to mud pits. Locals are now removing water from their houses and attempting to rescue their belongings.

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

The mayor is now focused on working to help the most vulnerable, while also dealing with the individual toll of the devastation.

“My vehicle was totally covered by water. The roofing was lost, so I fully grasp the suffering that people are experiencing, but what is a priority for me now is to concentrate on securing assistance for the most vulnerable at this time,” he says.

The mayor estimates 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 impassable roads, which have isolated the town.

“We are now trying to clear the main roads and secondary routes here so that we can get aid in. Most of our supermarkets, if not all, were severely affected so they will be unable to offer goods to individuals who are in need at this time,” he says.

The prime minister has witnessed the devastation first-hand, with an aerial tour of the area showing the vast majority of buildings in the area had been destroyed.

“This will be a massive task to rebuild this historic town. But while it is destroyed, we can envision a future of it emerging more resilient and better,” he told local media.

“It will be accomplished. So maintain the optimism, keep hope alive, and we will get through this, and we will reconstruct stronger,” he said.