Mayor Guiding Recovery Efforts at Storm Melissa's Worst-Hit Area

This mayor of the town of Black River – a community referred to as “ground zero” for Hurricane Melissa – has shared the monstrous storm surges and widespread destruction wrought by the catastrophe.

Reflecting on the harrowing experience, the mayor recalled enduring the Category 5 hurricane at an emergency operating centre.

“The entire town of Black River is devastated,” he said. “The destruction is so severe that the prime minister classified this area as ground zero.”

Several people from the town are reported to have died, but the mayor mentioned hearing reports of other deaths that remain unconfirmed due to communication and travel difficulties.

“The hurricane arrived around eight in the morning and continued for around nine hours, during which we were battered with heavy winds and a lot of rain,” he added.

“We got up to 4.8 metres of water at the response center. It was a bit scary for us, and we were hoping that it would not rise any further, because we were on the upper level, and I tell you, when we saw the water climbing, it was a terrifying experience for us.”

The mayor stated that Black River, located in the severely affected south-western region of St Elizabeth, is without water and power, and the majority of buildings have lost their roofing. An authority previously described the town as flooded, with more than half a million residents without power. A mudslide has obstructed the main roads of a nearby area, where streets have been turned to muddy tracks. Locals are now sweeping water from their houses and attempting to salvage their belongings.

Rescue efforts and evaluations have become extremely difficult because all the town’s vehicles and critical services such as firefighting, police, hospitals and supermarkets were “severely damaged,” notes the mayor.

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

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

Solomon believes that it will take billions of Jamaican dollars to rebuild Black River after Melissa’s destruction. For now, he states, the main goal is clearing blocked routes, which have isolated the town.

“We are now trying to clear the major thoroughfares 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 will be unable to provide supplies to persons who are in need at this time,” he adds.

National leadership has witnessed the devastation first-hand, with an aerial tour of the area revealing the vast majority of roofs in the area had been destroyed.

“It is going to be a massive task to rebuild this historic town. But although it is damaged, we can envision a tomorrow of it rising stronger and better,” 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 said.