Mayor Leading Recovery Efforts at Hurricane Melissa's Ground Zero

This local leader of Black River – an area referred to as “the epicenter” for the devastating storm – has shared the immense flooding and extensive destruction wrought by the disaster.

Speaking on the traumatic ordeal, the mayor recalled enduring the intense storm at an emergency response center.

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

Several people from Black River are confirmed dead, but Solomon mentioned receiving word of additional deaths that remain unconfirmed due to connectivity and travel difficulties.

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

“We got up to 4.8 metres of flooding at the emergency operating centre. It was a bit scary for us, and we were hoping that it would not rise any further, because we were on the upper level, and I tell you, when we saw the water rising, it was a terrifying experience for us.”

The mayor stated that Black River, situated in the severely affected south-western region of the area, is without water and power, and most structures have lost their roofs. An authority earlier described the town as under water, with over half a million residents lacking electricity. A mudslide has obstructed the primary routes of a nearby area, where streets have been turned to muddy tracks. Locals are now sweeping water from their houses and trying to rescue their belongings.

Rescue efforts and damage assessments have proven almost impossible because every one of the town’s vehicles and essential facilities such as fire, police, hospitals and supermarkets were “severely damaged,” says the mayor.

The mayor is now concentrating on trying to assist the neediest residents, while also coping with the individual toll of the disaster.

“The mayor's car was totally covered by water. The roofing went, so I do understand the suffering that people are feeling, but what is a key focus for me now is to focus on securing assistance for the most vulnerable at this time,” he says.

The mayor believes that it will take billions of Jamaican dollars to rebuild Black River after Melissa’s annihilation. At present, he says, the main goal is clearing impassable roads, which have isolated the town.

“We are now trying to clear the major thoroughfares and critical lateral roads here so that we can deliver relief supplies in. Most of our stores, if not all, were impacted negatively so they will be unable to provide supplies to individuals who are in need at this time,” he adds.

National leadership has seen the damage first-hand, with an aerial tour of the area revealing 80 to 90% of roofs in the area had been lost.

“This will be a massive undertaking to restore this historic town. But while it is destroyed, we can vision a tomorrow of it rising stronger and improved,” he told local media.

“It will be accomplished. So keep the positive outlook, remain hopeful, and we will get through this, and we will reconstruct stronger,” he affirmed.