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This local leader of the town of Black River – an area referred to as “ground zero” for the devastating storm – has shared the immense storm surges and extensive devastation wrought by the catastrophe.

Speaking on the harrowing ordeal, Richard Solomon recalled riding out the intense storm at an emergency response center.

“Our community of Black River is devastated,” he stated. “And that devastation is so severe that the national leader classified this area as ground zero.”

Five individuals from Black River are confirmed to have died, but Solomon noted receiving word of additional fatalities that are still being verified due to connectivity and transportation difficulties.

“The hurricane came around eight in the morning and continued for around several hours, during which we were pounded with strong gusts and torrential rainfall,” he added.

“We got up to 16ft of water at the emergency operating centre. That was a bit scary for us, and we were hoping that it would not rise any more, because we were on the upper level, and I tell you, when we saw the water climbing, it was a terrifying moment for us.”

The mayor stated that the town, situated in the hard-hit south-western parish of St Elizabeth, is without water and power, and most buildings have had their roofs. One official earlier characterized the town as under water, with over 500,000 residents lacking electricity. A landslide has obstructed the main roads of a nearby area, where roadways have been reduced to mud pits. Locals are now removing water from their houses and attempting to rescue their possessions.

Search and rescue operations and damage assessments have become extremely difficult because all the town’s transport and critical services such as firefighting, law enforcement, medical centers and supermarkets were “immensely damaged,” says Solomon.

The mayor is now focused on working to assist the neediest residents, while also coping with the personal impact of the disaster.

“The mayor's car was totally submerged by water. The roofing went, so I fully grasp the suffering that people are experiencing, but what is a key focus for me now is to focus on securing assistance for the most vulnerable at this point,” he explains.

The mayor estimates that it will take millions of local currency to rebuild Black River after Melissa’s annihilation. At present, he states, the main goal is removing debris from blocked routes, which have cut off the town.

“We are now trying to clear the main roads and secondary routes here so that we can deliver aid in. The majority of our stores, if not all, were impacted negatively so they will be unable to provide supplies to individuals who are in dire straits at this time,” he says.

The prime minister has seen the devastation first-hand, with an flyover of the region showing 80 to 90% of buildings in the area had been destroyed.

“This will be a enormous undertaking to rebuild Black River. But although it is damaged, we can vision a tomorrow of it rising stronger and better,” he informed reporters.

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