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This local leader of the town of Black River – a community referred to as “ground zero” for Hurricane Melissa – has shared the monstrous flooding and widespread devastation caused by the catastrophe.

Speaking on the harrowing experience, Richard Solomon described riding out the intense hurricane at an emergency operating centre.

“Our community of Black River is in ruins,” he stated. “And that devastation is so catastrophic that the prime minister designated this area as the worst-hit zone.”

Several people from the town are confirmed dead, but Solomon noted hearing reports of other deaths that are still being verified due to communication and transportation difficulties.

“Storm Melissa came around 8 a.m. and continued for around nine hours, during which we were battered with strong gusts and a lot of rain,” he explained.

“We experienced up to 16ft of flooding at the response center. That 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 rising, it was a scary experience for us.”

Solomon stated that Black River, located in the hard-hit south-western parish of St Elizabeth, is without running water and electricity, and most structures have lost their roofing. One official earlier characterized the town as under water, with over half a million residents lacking electricity. A mudslide has blocked the main roads of Santa Cruz, where roadways have been turned to muddy tracks. Locals are now removing water from their homes and attempting to salvage their possessions.

Search and rescue operations and damage assessments have proven almost impossible because every one of the town’s transport and essential facilities such as fire, police, hospitals and grocery stores were “severely damaged,” notes Solomon.

The mayor is now concentrating on working to assist the neediest residents, while also dealing with the personal impact of the disaster.

“The mayor's car was totally covered by water. My roof went, so I fully grasp the suffering that persons are feeling, but what is a priority for me now is to concentrate on getting aid relief for the most vulnerable at this point,” he says.

The mayor estimates that it will take millions of Jamaican dollars to rebuild the community after the hurricane's destruction. For now, he states, the priority is removing debris from blocked routes, which have isolated the town.

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

National leadership has seen the devastation personally, with an flyover of the region revealing the vast majority of buildings in the area had been destroyed.

“This will be a massive task to restore Black River. But while it is damaged, we can vision a tomorrow of it rising more resilient and improved,” he informed reporters.

“It will be accomplished. So maintain the positive outlook, keep hope alive, and we will overcome this challenge, and we will rebuild better,” he said.