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The mayor of Black River – a community referred to as “the epicenter” for the devastating storm – has detailed the immense flooding and extensive destruction caused by the disaster.

Speaking on the traumatic ordeal, the mayor recalled enduring the intense storm at an emergency response center.

“The entire town of Black River is devastated,” he stated. “And that devastation is so severe that the prime minister designated this area as the worst-hit zone.”

Several people from the town are confirmed dead, but the mayor noted receiving word of other deaths that remain unconfirmed due to connectivity and travel challenges.

“The hurricane came around eight in the morning and lasted for around several hours, during which we were pounded with heavy winds and a lot of rain,” he explained.

“We experienced up to 16ft of water at the response center. That was a frightening moment for us, and we were praying that it would not increase any further, because we were on the upper level, and I tell you, when we saw the water rising, it was a terrifying experience for us.”

Solomon explained that Black River, situated in the hard-hit southwest parish of St Elizabeth, is lacking running water and power, and the majority of structures have lost their roofs. One official earlier characterized the town as under water, with more than half a million inhabitants without power. A landslide has blocked the main roads of a nearby area, where streets have been reduced to mud pits. Residents are now removing water from their houses and trying to rescue their possessions.

Search and rescue operations and evaluations have proven extremely difficult because every one of the town’s vehicles and essential facilities such as firefighting, police, medical centers and supermarkets were “immensely damaged,” says the mayor.

The mayor is now focused on trying to help the neediest residents, while also dealing with the individual toll of the devastation.

“The mayor's car was totally covered by water. My roof went, so I fully grasp the pain that people are feeling, but what is a priority for me now is to focus on getting aid relief for the most at-risk at this time,” he explains.

Solomon believes that it will take millions of Jamaican dollars to rebuild the community after Melissa’s annihilation. At present, he states, the main goal is removing debris from blocked routes, which have cut off the town.

“Efforts are underway to clear the major thoroughfares and critical lateral roads here so that we can deliver relief supplies in. The majority of our supermarkets, if not all, were impacted negatively so they won’t be able to provide supplies to persons who are in dire straits at this moment,” he says.

The prime minister has seen the damage personally, with an flyover of the area revealing the vast majority of roofs in the area had been destroyed.

“It is going to be a enormous task to rebuild this historic town. But while it is damaged, we can vision a tomorrow of it rising more resilient and improved,” he informed local media.

“It will be accomplished. So maintain the optimism, keep hope alive, and we will overcome this challenge, and we will rebuild better,” he said.