Mayor Leading Rebuilding Work at Hurricane Melissa's Worst-Hit Area

The local leader of Black River – an area referred to as “ground zero” for Hurricane Melissa – has detailed the monstrous storm surges and widespread destruction caused by the disaster.

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

“Our community of this area is devastated,” he said. “The destruction is so catastrophic that the prime minister designated this area as the worst-hit zone.”

Five individuals from Black River are confirmed dead, but Solomon noted hearing reports of other fatalities that remain unconfirmed due to communication and transportation difficulties.

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

“We experienced up to 16ft of water at the response center. That was a bit scary for us, and we were praying that it would not increase any further, because we were on the second floor, and I tell you, when we saw the water climbing, it was a scary moment for us.”

Solomon explained that the town, located in the hard-hit southwest parish of St Elizabeth, is lacking water and electricity, and the majority of buildings have had their roofing. An authority earlier characterized the town as flooded, with more than 500,000 inhabitants without power. A landslide has blocked the primary routes of a nearby area, where streets have been turned to mud pits. Locals are now removing water from their homes and trying to rescue their belongings.

Rescue efforts and evaluations have proven almost impossible because every one of the town’s transport and critical services such as firefighting, law enforcement, hospitals and supermarkets were “severely damaged,” notes the mayor.

He is now concentrating on trying to assist the most vulnerable, while also coping with the personal impact of the devastation.

“The mayor's car was completely submerged by water. My roof was lost, so I fully grasp the suffering that people are experiencing, but what is a priority for me now is to concentrate on getting assistance for the most at-risk at this time,” he says.

The mayor estimates that it will take billions of Jamaican dollars to restore Black River after the hurricane's destruction. At present, he states, the priority is clearing impassable roads, which have cut off the town.

“Efforts are underway to get the main roads and critical lateral roads here so that we can deliver relief supplies in. Most of our stores, if not all, were impacted negatively so they won’t be able to provide supplies to individuals who are in need at this time,” he says.

The prime minister has witnessed the devastation first-hand, with an flyover of the region showing the vast majority of roofs in the area had been destroyed.

“It is going to be a enormous undertaking to rebuild this historic town. But while it is damaged, we can envision a future of it rising stronger and improved,” he informed reporters.

“We will get it done. So keep the optimism, remain hopeful, and we will overcome this challenge, and we will rebuild better,” he said.