🔗 Share this article

The local leader of Black River – an area described as “the epicenter” for the devastating storm – has shared the monstrous flooding and extensive destruction wrought by the disaster.

Speaking on the harrowing experience, the mayor recalled enduring the intense storm at an emergency response center.

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

Several people from Black River are confirmed dead, but the mayor noted hearing reports of other deaths that remain unconfirmed due to connectivity and transportation challenges.

“Storm Melissa arrived around 8 a.m. and lasted for around several hours, during which we were battered with heavy winds and torrential rainfall,” he added.

“We experienced up to 4.8 metres of flooding at the emergency operating centre. That 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 I tell you, when we saw the water climbing, it was a scary moment for us.”

Solomon stated that Black River, located in the hard-hit southwest parish of St Elizabeth, is lacking running water and power, and the majority of structures have lost their roofs. An authority earlier described the town as flooded, with more than 500,000 inhabitants without power. A landslide has blocked the main roads of a nearby area, where roadways have been turned to mud pits. Residents are now removing water from their houses and attempting to rescue their belongings.

Search and rescue operations and evaluations have become extremely difficult because all the town’s transport and essential facilities such as fire, law enforcement, medical centers and grocery stores were “immensely damaged,” says Solomon.

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 completely covered by water. My roof was lost, so I do understand the suffering that persons are feeling, but what is a priority for me now is to concentrate on securing aid relief for the most vulnerable at this point,” he says.

The mayor believes that it will take billions of Jamaican dollars to restore Black River after the hurricane's destruction. At present, he says, the priority is removing debris from impassable roads, which have cut off the town.

“We are now trying to clear the main roads and critical lateral roads here so that we can deliver relief supplies in. The majority of our stores, if not all, were severely affected so they will be unable to provide supplies to persons who are in need at this time,” he adds.

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 enormous task to restore this historic town. But while it is destroyed, we can vision a future of it emerging more resilient and improved,” he told reporters.

“We will get it done. So keep the optimism, keep hope alive, and we will overcome this challenge, and we will rebuild better,” he affirmed.