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This local leader of the town of Black River – an area described as “the epicenter” for Hurricane Melissa – has detailed the monstrous storm surges and extensive devastation caused by the disaster.

Speaking on the harrowing ordeal, the mayor recalled riding out the Category 5 hurricane at an emergency operating centre.

“The entire town of this area is devastated,” he stated. “The destruction is so severe that the national leader designated this area as the worst-hit zone.”

Five individuals from Black River are confirmed dead, but the mayor noted receiving word of additional fatalities that remain unconfirmed due to communication and travel difficulties.

“Storm Melissa came around eight in the morning and continued for around several hours, during which we were pounded with strong gusts and a lot of rain,” he explained.

“We experienced up to 16ft of flooding at the emergency operating centre. That was a bit scary for us, and we were praying that it would not rise any further, because we were on the second floor, and I tell you, when we saw the water rising, it was a terrifying moment for us.”

Solomon explained that the town, located in the hard-hit southwest parish of St Elizabeth, is without water and electricity, and most buildings have had their roofs. An authority earlier described the town as flooded, with more than 500,000 inhabitants without power. A mudslide has blocked the primary routes of a nearby area, where streets have been reduced to mud pits. Residents are now sweeping water from their homes and attempting to salvage their belongings.

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

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

“My vehicle was completely covered by water. My roof was lost, so I do understand the suffering that people are experiencing, but what is a key focus for me now is to focus on securing assistance for the most at-risk at this point,” he says.

The mayor estimates that it will take billions of Jamaican dollars to restore the community after Melissa’s destruction. At present, he states, the main goal is clearing blocked routes, which have isolated the town.

“Efforts are underway to get the major thoroughfares 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 time,” he says.

The prime minister has witnessed the devastation personally, with an aerial tour of the area revealing 80 to 90% of roofs in the area had been destroyed.

“This will be a massive undertaking to restore this historic town. But while it is damaged, we can vision a tomorrow of it rising more resilient and improved,” he told local media.

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