Mayor Guiding Rebuilding Efforts at Storm Melissa's Ground Zero

This mayor of Black River – a community described as “ground zero” for Hurricane Melissa – has shared the immense storm surges and extensive devastation caused by the catastrophe.

Speaking on the harrowing ordeal, the mayor recalled enduring the intense hurricane at an emergency response center.

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

Five individuals from Black River are reported dead, but Solomon noted hearing reports of other fatalities that are still being verified due to communication and travel difficulties.

“The hurricane arrived around 8 a.m. and lasted for around nine 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 bit scary for us, and we were hoping that it would not increase any further, because we were on the upper level, and I tell you, when we saw the water climbing, it was a scary experience for us.”

Solomon explained that the town, situated in the hard-hit southwest region of St Elizabeth, is without water and electricity, and most buildings have had their roofing. One official earlier characterized the town as under water, with more than half a million inhabitants lacking electricity. A mudslide has blocked the primary routes of a nearby area, where roadways have been reduced to muddy tracks. Locals are now removing water from their homes and attempting to salvage their possessions.

Search and rescue operations and evaluations have become extremely difficult because every one of the town’s transport and critical services such as fire, police, hospitals and grocery stores were “severely damaged,” says the mayor.

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

“The mayor's car was totally covered by water. My roof was lost, so I do understand the pain that persons are experiencing, but what is a priority for me now is to concentrate on getting aid relief for the most vulnerable at this time,” he says.

Solomon believes that it will take billions of Jamaican dollars to rebuild the community after Melissa’s annihilation. At present, he states, the main goal is clearing blocked routes, which have isolated the town.

“Efforts are underway to get the main roads and critical lateral roads here so that we can deliver relief supplies in. The majority of our supermarkets, if not all, were severely affected so they won’t be able to offer goods to individuals who are in dire straits at this moment,” he adds.

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

“This will be a massive undertaking to rebuild this historic town. But while it is destroyed, we can vision a future of it rising more resilient and improved,” he informed local media.

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