City Leader Leading Recovery Work at Storm Melissa's Epicenter

The mayor of Black River – an area referred to as “the epicenter” for the devastating storm – has shared the monstrous flooding and extensive devastation caused by the disaster.

Speaking on the traumatic ordeal, the mayor recalled riding out the intense storm at an emergency operating centre.

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

Several people from Black River are reported dead, but the mayor noted hearing reports of additional fatalities that are still being verified due to connectivity and travel challenges.

“The hurricane arrived around 8 a.m. and continued for around several hours, during which we were battered with strong gusts and torrential rainfall,” he added.

“We experienced up to 16ft of water at the emergency operating centre. 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 scary moment for us.”

The mayor explained that the town, located in the severely affected southwest region of the area, is lacking water and electricity, and most structures have lost their roofs. One official previously characterized the town as flooded, with over 500,000 residents without power. A mudslide has blocked the main roads of Santa Cruz, where streets have been reduced to muddy tracks. Residents are now sweeping water from their homes and trying to rescue their possessions.

Rescue efforts and damage assessments have become extremely difficult because all the town’s vehicles and critical services such as fire, police, medical centers and supermarkets were “immensely damaged,” notes Solomon.

The mayor is now focused on working to assist the most vulnerable, while also coping with the individual toll of the devastation.

“My vehicle was completely submerged by water. The roofing was lost, so I fully grasp the pain that people are feeling, but what is a priority for me now is to concentrate on securing assistance for the most at-risk at this time,” he says.

The mayor estimates that it will take billions of local currency to rebuild the community 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 major thoroughfares and critical lateral roads here so that we can get aid in. Most 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.

National leadership has witnessed the devastation personally, with an flyover of the region revealing the vast majority of roofs in the area had been lost.

“This will be a massive undertaking to rebuild this historic town. But although it is destroyed, we can envision a future of it rising more resilient and better,” he informed reporters.

“We will get it done. So maintain the optimism, remain hopeful, and we will overcome this challenge, and we will reconstruct stronger,” he affirmed.