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The local leader of the town of Black River – an area described as “ground zero” for Hurricane Melissa – has shared the monstrous storm surges and extensive destruction caused by the disaster.

Reflecting on the harrowing ordeal, the mayor recalled enduring the Category 5 hurricane at an emergency response center.

“Our community of this area is devastated,” he said. “And that devastation is so severe that the prime minister classified this area as ground zero.”

Five individuals from Black River are reported to have died, but the mayor mentioned receiving word of additional fatalities that are still being verified due to connectivity and transportation challenges.

“Storm Melissa came around eight in the morning and continued for around several hours, during which we were battered with strong gusts and a lot of rain,” he explained.

“We got up to 16ft of flooding at the response center. It 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 moment for us.”

Solomon explained that the town, located in the hard-hit southwest region of the area, is lacking running water and electricity, and most buildings have lost their roofs. An authority previously characterized the town as under water, with more than 500,000 residents lacking electricity. A landslide has blocked the main roads of a nearby area, where roadways have been reduced to mud pits. Locals are now sweeping water from their homes and trying to rescue their belongings.

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

He is now concentrating on trying to assist the most vulnerable, while also coping with the individual toll of the devastation.

“The mayor's car was totally covered by water. My roof went, so I fully grasp the pain that people are experiencing, but what is a key focus for me now is to concentrate on getting aid relief for the most at-risk at this point,” he explains.

The mayor believes that it will take billions of local currency to rebuild the community after the hurricane's annihilation. At present, he says, the main goal is removing debris from blocked routes, which have cut off the town.

“Efforts are underway to clear the main roads and secondary routes here so that we can deliver aid in. Most of our stores, if not all, were severely affected so they will be unable to provide supplies to individuals who are in dire straits at this time,” he says.

The prime minister has seen the damage first-hand, with an aerial tour of the area showing 80 to 90% of buildings in the area had been lost.

“This will be a massive task to restore this historic town. But while it is destroyed, we can envision a tomorrow of it rising more resilient and better,” he informed local media.

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