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This mayor of Black River – a community described as “the epicenter” for the devastating storm – has shared the immense flooding and extensive destruction wrought by the catastrophe.

Speaking on the harrowing ordeal, the mayor described enduring the Category 5 storm at an emergency operating centre.

“The entire town of Black River is in ruins,” he stated. “The destruction is so catastrophic that the prime minister designated this area as ground zero.”

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

“Storm Melissa came around eight in the morning and continued for around nine hours, during which we were battered with strong gusts and torrential rainfall,” he added.

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

Solomon stated that the town, situated in the severely affected southwest parish of St Elizabeth, is without running water and power, and most buildings have lost their roofs. One official earlier described the town as under water, with over half a million residents lacking electricity. A landslide has obstructed the main roads of Santa Cruz, where roadways have been turned to muddy tracks. Residents are now sweeping water from their houses and attempting to salvage their possessions.

Rescue efforts and evaluations have proven extremely difficult because all the town’s transport and essential facilities such as firefighting, law enforcement, hospitals and supermarkets were “immensely damaged,” notes Solomon.

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

“The mayor's car was completely covered by water. The roofing went, so I fully grasp the pain that people are experiencing, but what is a priority for me now is to concentrate on getting assistance for the most at-risk at this time,” he explains.

Solomon believes that it will take billions of Jamaican dollars to rebuild Black River after Melissa’s destruction. For now, he says, the main goal is clearing blocked routes, which have cut off the town.

“Efforts are underway to get the major thoroughfares and critical lateral roads here so that we can get relief supplies in. The majority of our supermarkets, if not all, were impacted negatively so they will be unable to provide supplies to persons who are in dire straits at this moment,” he says.

The prime minister has seen the damage personally, with an flyover of the region showing 80 to 90% of roofs in the area had been destroyed.

“This will be a massive undertaking to rebuild Black River. But while it is destroyed, we can vision a tomorrow of it rising more resilient and improved,” he told local media.

“It will be accomplished. So keep the optimism, remain hopeful, and we will get through this, and we will rebuild better,” he affirmed.