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This mayor of the town of Black River – a community described as “the epicenter” for Hurricane Melissa – has detailed the monstrous flooding and widespread devastation caused by the disaster.

Speaking on the traumatic experience, Richard Solomon described enduring the intense storm at an emergency response center.

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

Five individuals from Black River are reported dead, but Solomon mentioned hearing reports of other fatalities that remain unconfirmed due to connectivity and travel difficulties.

“The hurricane came around eight in the morning and continued for around nine hours, during which we were pounded with strong gusts and a lot of rain,” he explained.

“We experienced up to 16ft of flooding at the response center. That was a frightening moment for us, and we were praying 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 moment for us.”

The mayor explained that the town, situated in the hard-hit south-western parish of St Elizabeth, is lacking water and electricity, and the majority of structures have lost their roofing. One official previously described the town as under water, with over half a million residents without power. A landslide has obstructed the primary routes of Santa Cruz, where roadways have been turned to mud pits. Locals are now sweeping water from their houses and attempting to rescue their belongings.

Rescue efforts and evaluations have become almost impossible because every one of the town’s vehicles and essential facilities such as firefighting, law enforcement, medical centers and grocery stores were “severely damaged,” notes Solomon.

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

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

Solomon estimates that it will take billions of Jamaican dollars to restore 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 major thoroughfares and secondary routes here so that we can get relief supplies in. The majority of our stores, if not all, were severely affected so they won’t be able to provide supplies to individuals who are in need at this moment,” he says.

National leadership has witnessed the devastation personally, with an aerial tour of the area showing 80 to 90% of buildings in the area had been destroyed.

“It is going to be a massive undertaking to rebuild this historic town. But while it is destroyed, we can vision a tomorrow of it rising more resilient and better,” he told reporters.

“We will get it done. So maintain the positive outlook, remain hopeful, and we will get through this, and we will rebuild better,” he affirmed.