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This local leader of the town of Black River – an area referred to as “the epicenter” for the devastating storm – has shared the monstrous flooding and widespread devastation caused by the catastrophe.

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

“Our community 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 Black River are reported to have died, but Solomon noted hearing reports of additional deaths that remain unconfirmed due to connectivity and transportation challenges.

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

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

The mayor explained that Black River, situated in the hard-hit south-western parish of St Elizabeth, is without running water and electricity, and the majority of buildings have lost their roofing. One official earlier characterized the town as under water, with more than half a million residents lacking electricity. A landslide has blocked the main roads of Santa Cruz, where roadways have been turned to muddy tracks. Locals are now removing water from their houses and attempting to rescue their belongings.

Rescue efforts and damage assessments have become almost impossible because all the town’s transport and critical services such as firefighting, law enforcement, hospitals and grocery stores were “immensely damaged,” says the mayor.

The mayor is now concentrating on trying to help the most vulnerable, while also coping with the individual toll of the devastation.

“The mayor's car was completely submerged by water. My roof went, so I do understand the suffering that persons are experiencing, but what is a priority for me now is to focus on securing aid relief for the most vulnerable at this time,” he explains.

Solomon believes that it will take billions of local currency to rebuild the community after the hurricane's annihilation. For now, he states, the main goal is clearing impassable roads, which have cut off the town.

“Efforts are underway to get the major thoroughfares and critical lateral roads here so that we can deliver aid in. Most of our supermarkets, if not all, were severely affected so they will be unable to provide supplies to persons who are in dire straits at this time,” he says.

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

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

“We will get it done. So keep the optimism, keep hope alive, and we will get through this, and we will reconstruct stronger,” he said.