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The mayor of the town of Black River – a community described as “ground zero” for the devastating storm – has shared the monstrous flooding and extensive devastation caused by the disaster.

Speaking on the traumatic ordeal, the mayor recalled enduring the intense hurricane at an emergency operating centre.

“The entire town of Black River is in ruins,” he stated. “And that devastation is so severe that the national leader classified this area as the worst-hit zone.”

Five individuals from Black River are confirmed dead, but Solomon mentioned hearing reports of additional deaths that are still being verified due to communication and transportation difficulties.

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

“We experienced up to 16ft of water at the emergency operating centre. It was a frightening moment for us, and we were hoping that it would not rise any more, because we were on the second floor, and frankly, when we saw the water rising, it was a terrifying experience for us.”

The mayor explained that Black River, located in the hard-hit south-western parish of St Elizabeth, is without water and electricity, and most buildings have lost their roofing. An authority previously characterized the town as flooded, with over half a million residents lacking electricity. A landslide has obstructed the primary routes of a nearby area, where roadways have been reduced to mud pits. Locals are now sweeping water from their houses and trying to salvage their possessions.

Search and rescue operations and damage assessments have proven almost impossible because all the town’s transport and essential facilities such as fire, police, hospitals and grocery stores were “immensely damaged,” says the mayor.

He is now concentrating on working to help the most vulnerable, while also coping with the personal impact of the disaster.

“The mayor's car was totally covered by water. My roof was lost, so I do understand the suffering that persons are feeling, but what is a key focus for me now is to focus on getting assistance for the most at-risk at this point,” he says.

The mayor estimates that it will take millions of local currency to restore the community after the hurricane's annihilation. At present, he states, the priority is removing debris from impassable roads, which have cut off the town.

“Efforts are underway to get the major thoroughfares and secondary routes here so that we can deliver relief supplies in. Most of our stores, if not all, were severely affected so they won’t be able to provide supplies to individuals who are in dire straits at this moment,” he says.

The prime minister has seen the damage first-hand, with an flyover of the area revealing the vast majority of roofs in the area had been destroyed.

“This will be a massive undertaking to rebuild Black River. But while it is damaged, we can vision a future of it emerging stronger and better,” he informed local media.

“We will get it done. So keep the positive outlook, remain hopeful, and we will get through this, and we will rebuild better,” he said.