🔗 Share this article

The local leader of Black River – an area referred to as “the epicenter” for Hurricane Melissa – has detailed the immense flooding and extensive devastation wrought by the disaster.

Reflecting on the traumatic ordeal, the mayor described riding out the Category 5 hurricane at an emergency operating centre.

“The entire town of this area is devastated,” he said. “And that devastation is so catastrophic that the prime minister classified this area as the worst-hit zone.”

Five individuals from the town are reported dead, but Solomon mentioned hearing reports of other fatalities that are still being verified due to communication and travel difficulties.

“Storm Melissa arrived around eight in the morning and continued for around several hours, during which we were battered with heavy winds and a lot of rain,” he added.

“We got up to 16ft of flooding at the response center. It was a bit scary for us, and we were praying that it would not rise any more, because we were on the upper level, and frankly, when we saw the water rising, it was a terrifying experience for us.”

Solomon explained that the town, located in the hard-hit southwest region of St Elizabeth, is without running water and electricity, and most structures have lost their roofs. One official previously described the town as under water, with more than 500,000 inhabitants without power. A mudslide has blocked the main roads of Santa Cruz, where roadways have been turned to muddy tracks. Residents are now sweeping water from their homes and attempting to salvage their belongings.

Rescue efforts and evaluations have proven almost impossible because all the town’s transport and critical services such as fire, police, medical centers and supermarkets were “immensely damaged,” says the mayor.

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

“My vehicle was totally submerged by water. My roof was lost, so I fully grasp the pain that persons are feeling, but what is a key focus for me now is to concentrate on getting assistance for the most at-risk at this time,” he says.

The mayor estimates that it will take billions of Jamaican dollars to restore Black River after the hurricane's destruction. For now, he states, the priority is clearing impassable roads, which have isolated the town.

“Efforts are underway to clear the major thoroughfares and secondary routes here so that we can get relief supplies in. Most of our supermarkets, if not all, were impacted negatively so they won’t be able to provide supplies to individuals who are in dire straits at this time,” he adds.

National leadership has witnessed the devastation personally, with an aerial tour of the region showing the vast majority of buildings in the area had been lost.

“This will be a massive undertaking to restore this historic town. But while it is damaged, we can vision a tomorrow of it rising stronger and better,” he told local media.

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