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This local leader of the town of Black River – an area described as “ground zero” for Hurricane Melissa – has detailed the immense flooding and widespread destruction wrought by the catastrophe.

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

“Our community of this area is in ruins,” he said. “The destruction 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 noted receiving word of additional deaths that remain unconfirmed due to communication and transportation difficulties.

“The hurricane arrived around eight in the morning and lasted for around nine hours, during which we were pounded with strong gusts and torrential rainfall,” he added.

“We experienced up to 16ft of flooding at the emergency operating centre. It was a bit scary for us, and we were hoping that it would not increase any further, because we were on the upper level, and I tell you, when we saw the water climbing, it was a terrifying experience for us.”

The mayor explained that Black River, situated in the hard-hit south-western region of the area, is without running water and electricity, and most structures have had their roofs. One official earlier characterized the town as flooded, with over half a million residents without power. A mudslide has obstructed the primary routes of Santa Cruz, where roadways have been reduced to muddy tracks. Locals are now removing water from their homes and attempting to rescue their belongings.

Search and rescue operations 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,” says Solomon.

The mayor is now concentrating on trying to help the most vulnerable, while also coping with the individual toll of the devastation.

“My vehicle was totally submerged by water. My roof was lost, so I fully grasp the suffering that people are experiencing, but what is a key focus for me now is to concentrate on securing aid relief for the most vulnerable at this time,” he says.

Solomon estimates that it will take millions of Jamaican dollars to restore Black River after Melissa’s destruction. For now, he states, the main goal is removing debris from impassable roads, which have cut off the town.

“Efforts are underway to clear the main roads and critical lateral roads here so that we can deliver aid in. The majority of our supermarkets, if not all, were impacted negatively so they will be unable to offer goods to persons who are in dire straits at this moment,” he says.

The prime minister 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 restore Black River. But while it is destroyed, we can envision a tomorrow of it emerging more resilient and better,” he told reporters.

“It will be accomplished. So maintain the positive outlook, remain hopeful, and we will overcome this challenge, and we will reconstruct stronger,” he affirmed.