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The local leader of the town of Black River – a community described as “the epicenter” for Hurricane Melissa – has detailed the monstrous flooding and widespread destruction caused by the disaster.

Speaking on the traumatic ordeal, Richard Solomon described enduring the Category 5 hurricane at an emergency response center.

“Our community of this area is in ruins,” he said. “The destruction is so catastrophic that the national leader designated this area as ground zero.”

Several people from the town are confirmed to have died, but Solomon mentioned hearing reports of additional deaths that are still being verified due to communication and transportation challenges.

“Storm Melissa came around 8 a.m. and lasted for around several hours, during which we were battered with strong gusts and a lot of rain,” he added.

“We experienced up to 4.8 metres of flooding at the emergency operating centre. It was a bit scary for us, and we were praying that it would not increase any further, because we were on the upper level, and I tell you, when we saw the water rising, it was a terrifying experience for us.”

The mayor explained that Black River, located in the severely affected southwest parish of St Elizabeth, is without running water and electricity, and the majority of buildings have had their roofs. An authority previously described the town as flooded, with over 500,000 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 salvage their possessions.

Rescue efforts and damage assessments have proven almost impossible because every one of the town’s transport and essential facilities such as fire, law enforcement, medical centers and grocery stores were “severely damaged,” says the mayor.

He is now concentrating on working to help the neediest residents, while also dealing with the personal impact of the devastation.

“The mayor's car was totally covered by water. My roof went, so I do understand the suffering that people are experiencing, but what is a priority for me now is to focus on getting assistance for the most vulnerable at this point,” he says.

The mayor estimates that it will take millions of Jamaican dollars to rebuild the community after the hurricane's annihilation. For now, he says, the main goal is clearing blocked routes, which have isolated the town.

“We are now trying to get the major thoroughfares and secondary routes here so that we can get aid in. The majority of our supermarkets, if not all, were impacted negatively so they will be unable to offer goods to individuals who are in need at this time,” he adds.

National leadership has witnessed the damage first-hand, with an aerial tour of the region showing 80 to 90% of buildings in the area had been lost.

“It is going to be a massive task to rebuild this historic town. But although it is damaged, we can envision a future of it emerging more resilient and improved,” he told reporters.

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