Mayor Guiding Rebuilding Work at Hurricane Melissa's Ground Zero

The local leader of the town of Black River – a community referred to as “the epicenter” for Hurricane Melissa – has detailed the immense flooding and widespread devastation caused by the disaster.

Reflecting on the harrowing ordeal, Richard Solomon recalled enduring the intense hurricane at an emergency response center.

“Our community of this area is in ruins,” he stated. “And that devastation is so catastrophic that the prime minister classified this area as the worst-hit zone.”

Several people from the town are reported dead, but Solomon mentioned receiving word of other fatalities that remain unconfirmed 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 torrential rainfall,” he explained.

“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 rise any further, because we were on the upper level, and frankly, when we saw the water rising, it was a scary experience for us.”

Solomon explained that Black River, located in the severely affected southwest region of St Elizabeth, is without running water and power, and most buildings have lost their roofing. One official earlier described the town as under water, with over half a million residents lacking electricity. A landslide has obstructed the primary routes of Santa Cruz, where streets have been turned to mud pits. Locals are now sweeping water from their homes and trying to salvage their possessions.

Rescue efforts and evaluations have become extremely difficult because all the town’s transport and critical services such as fire, law enforcement, medical centers and supermarkets were “severely damaged,” says Solomon.

He 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 went, so I fully grasp the pain that people are experiencing, but what is a priority for me now is to concentrate on securing assistance for the most vulnerable at this point,” he explains.

Solomon believes that it will take billions of Jamaican dollars to rebuild Black River after Melissa’s annihilation. At present, he states, the priority is clearing impassable roads, which have isolated the town.

“Efforts are underway to get the main roads and critical lateral roads here so that we can get relief supplies in. The majority of our supermarkets, if not all, were impacted negatively so they will be unable to provide supplies to persons who are in need at this moment,” he says.

National leadership has seen the damage first-hand, with an flyover of the region showing 80 to 90% of roofs in the area had been destroyed.

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

“It will be accomplished. So keep the positive outlook, remain hopeful, and we will get through this, and we will reconstruct stronger,” he said.