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The local leader of the town of Black River – a community described as “the epicenter” for Hurricane Melissa – has shared the immense storm surges and extensive devastation caused by the disaster.

Speaking on the traumatic experience, Richard Solomon described enduring the Category 5 storm at an emergency response center.

“Our community of Black River is in ruins,” he stated. “The destruction is so severe that the national leader classified this area as the worst-hit zone.”

Five individuals from Black River are confirmed to have died, but the mayor noted hearing reports of additional deaths that remain unconfirmed due to communication and travel difficulties.

“The hurricane came around eight in the morning and lasted for around several hours, during which we were pounded with heavy winds and torrential rainfall,” he explained.

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

Solomon explained that the town, located in the hard-hit southwest region of St Elizabeth, is without water and electricity, and most buildings have lost their roofs. One official previously described the town as under water, with over 500,000 residents lacking electricity. A mudslide has obstructed the primary routes of Santa Cruz, where streets have been turned to muddy tracks. Locals are now sweeping water from their homes and trying to salvage their belongings.

Search and rescue operations and evaluations have proven extremely difficult because all the town’s transport and critical services such as fire, police, hospitals and supermarkets were “severely damaged,” says Solomon.

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

“The mayor's car was totally submerged by water. The roofing was lost, so I fully grasp the suffering that people are feeling, but what is a priority for me now is to focus on getting aid relief for the most vulnerable at this point,” he explains.

Solomon estimates that it will take millions of Jamaican dollars to rebuild Black River after Melissa’s annihilation. At present, he says, the main goal is removing debris from 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 get aid in. The majority of our supermarkets, if not all, were impacted negatively so they won’t be able to offer goods to persons who are in need at this moment,” he says.

National leadership has witnessed the devastation first-hand, with an aerial tour of the region showing 80 to 90% of roofs in the area had been destroyed.

“This will 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 overcome this challenge, and we will reconstruct stronger,” he affirmed.