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The local leader of Black River – an area referred to as “ground zero” for Hurricane Melissa – has detailed the immense storm surges and extensive destruction wrought by the disaster.

Speaking on the traumatic ordeal, Richard Solomon described enduring the Category 5 storm at an emergency operating centre.

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

Five individuals from Black River are reported dead, but Solomon noted receiving word of additional fatalities that remain unconfirmed due to communication and transportation challenges.

“Storm Melissa arrived around 8 a.m. and continued for around several hours, during which we were pounded with strong gusts and a lot of rain,” he added.

“We experienced up to 16ft of water at the response center. It was a frightening moment for us, and we were hoping that it would not increase any more, because we were on the upper level, and I tell you, when we saw the water rising, it was a scary moment for us.”

The mayor stated that the town, situated in the hard-hit southwest region of the area, is without water and electricity, and the majority of structures have lost their roofs. One official previously described 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 turned to muddy tracks. Locals are now removing water from their houses and trying to rescue their belongings.

Search and rescue operations and evaluations have become almost impossible because all the town’s vehicles and critical services such as firefighting, police, hospitals and supermarkets were “severely damaged,” says Solomon.

He is now concentrating on working to help the neediest residents, while also coping with the individual toll of the devastation.

“The mayor's car was totally covered by water. The roofing was lost, so I fully grasp the pain that people are experiencing, but what is a priority for me now is to concentrate on getting assistance for the most vulnerable at this point,” he says.

The mayor estimates that it will take millions of Jamaican dollars to rebuild Black River after the hurricane's annihilation. For now, he says, the main goal is removing debris from impassable roads, which have isolated the town.

“We are now trying to clear the main roads and critical lateral roads here so that we can get relief supplies in. Most of our stores, if not all, were severely affected so they will be unable to offer goods to individuals who are in dire straits at this moment,” he adds.

National leadership has witnessed the damage personally, with an aerial tour of the area showing 80 to 90% of roofs in the area had been destroyed.

“It is going to be a massive task to rebuild this historic town. But although it is destroyed, we can envision a tomorrow of it rising stronger and better,” he told reporters.

“We will get it done. So keep the positive outlook, keep hope alive, and we will overcome this challenge, and we will reconstruct stronger,” he affirmed.