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This mayor of Black River – an area described as “ground zero” for the devastating storm – has shared the monstrous flooding and extensive devastation caused by the disaster.

Speaking on the harrowing ordeal, Richard Solomon described riding out the Category 5 hurricane at an emergency response center.

“The entire town of this area is devastated,” he stated. “The destruction is so severe that the prime minister classified this area as ground zero.”

Several people from the town are reported to have died, but Solomon mentioned receiving word of additional deaths that are still being verified due to communication and travel challenges.

“The hurricane 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 got up to 4.8 metres of flooding at the response center. It was a bit scary for us, and we were praying that it would not increase any more, because we were on the upper level, and frankly, when we saw the water rising, it was a terrifying experience for us.”

Solomon stated that Black River, situated in the hard-hit southwest region of St Elizabeth, is lacking running water and electricity, and the majority of buildings have lost their roofing. One official earlier described the town as flooded, with more than half a million residents lacking electricity. A mudslide has blocked the main roads of Santa Cruz, where streets have been turned to mud pits. Locals are now sweeping water from their houses and attempting to salvage their belongings.

Search and rescue operations and damage assessments have proven extremely difficult because every one of the town’s vehicles and essential facilities such as fire, police, hospitals and grocery stores were “immensely damaged,” says Solomon.

He is now focused on trying to help the most vulnerable, while also coping with the individual toll of the disaster.

“The mayor's car was completely submerged by water. The roofing went, so I fully grasp the pain that persons are experiencing, but what is a priority for me now is to concentrate on securing assistance for the most at-risk at this time,” he says.

The mayor believes that it will take billions of Jamaican dollars to rebuild the community after Melissa’s destruction. For now, he says, the priority is removing debris from blocked routes, which have isolated the town.

“Efforts are underway to clear the main roads and critical lateral roads here so that we can get 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 need at this moment,” he says.

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

“It is going to be a massive undertaking to restore this historic town. But although it is destroyed, we can vision a tomorrow of it emerging more resilient and better,” he informed local media.

“It will be accomplished. So maintain the optimism, remain hopeful, and we will overcome this challenge, and we will reconstruct stronger,” he affirmed.