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This local leader of Black River – an area described as “ground zero” for Hurricane Melissa – has shared the monstrous storm surges and widespread devastation caused by the catastrophe.

Reflecting on the harrowing experience, the mayor described riding out the Category 5 storm at an emergency operating centre.

“The entire town of Black River is devastated,” he stated. “And that devastation is so severe that the national leader designated this area as ground zero.”

Several people from the town are confirmed to have died, but the mayor mentioned receiving word of other fatalities that remain unconfirmed due to connectivity and travel difficulties.

“The hurricane arrived around 8 a.m. and continued for around several hours, during which we were battered with heavy winds and a lot of rain,” he added.

“We experienced up to 16ft of water at the response center. That was a frightening moment for us, and we were hoping that it would not rise any more, because we were on the upper level, and frankly, when we saw the water climbing, it was a terrifying moment for us.”

Solomon stated that the town, situated in the hard-hit southwest parish of St Elizabeth, is without water and electricity, and the majority of buildings have lost their roofs. One official previously described the town as flooded, with more than 500,000 residents lacking electricity. A landslide has obstructed the main roads of Santa Cruz, where streets have been reduced to mud pits. Residents are now sweeping water from their houses and attempting to salvage their possessions.

Search and rescue operations and damage assessments have become extremely difficult because all the town’s vehicles and critical services such as fire, police, hospitals and supermarkets were “immensely damaged,” says Solomon.

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

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

The mayor believes that it will take millions of local currency to rebuild Black River after Melissa’s destruction. For now, he states, the main goal is clearing impassable roads, which have cut off the town.

“Efforts are underway to clear the main roads and critical lateral roads here so that we can get relief supplies in. The majority of our stores, if not all, were severely affected so they won’t be able to offer goods to persons who are in need at this moment,” he says.

The prime minister has seen the devastation first-hand, with an aerial tour of the region revealing the vast majority of roofs in the area had been lost.

“It is going to be a enormous task to restore this historic town. But although it is damaged, we can envision a future of it rising more resilient 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.