City Leader Leading Recovery Work at Storm Melissa's Epicenter
The mayor of Black River – an area referred to as “the epicenter” for the devastating storm – has shared the immense flooding and extensive destruction caused by the disaster.
Speaking on the traumatic experience, Richard Solomon described riding out the intense storm at an emergency operating centre.
“The entire town of this area is in ruins,” he said. “The destruction is so catastrophic that the national leader designated this area as ground zero.”
Five individuals from Black River are reported to have died, but Solomon noted receiving word of additional fatalities that remain unconfirmed due to connectivity and travel difficulties.
“The hurricane arrived around 8 a.m. and lasted for around several hours, during which we were pounded with strong gusts and torrential rainfall,” he added.
“We got up to 16ft of flooding at the response center. It was a frightening moment for us, and we were praying that it would not increase any more, because we were on the second floor, and I tell you, when we saw the water climbing, it was a terrifying experience for us.”
Solomon stated that Black River, situated in the severely affected south-western parish of the area, is without water and power, and most buildings have lost their roofing. One official previously characterized the town as flooded, with over half a million inhabitants without power. A landslide has obstructed the primary routes of Santa Cruz, where roadways have been reduced to mud pits. Locals are now sweeping water from their houses and trying to rescue their possessions.
Rescue efforts and evaluations have proven extremely difficult because all the town’s vehicles and critical services such as firefighting, law enforcement, medical centers and grocery stores were “immensely damaged,” says Solomon.
The mayor is now concentrating on working to assist the neediest residents, while also coping with the personal impact of the disaster.
“My vehicle was totally submerged by water. The roofing was lost, so I do understand 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 Black River after the hurricane's annihilation. At present, he says, the main goal is clearing impassable roads, which have isolated the town.
“We are now trying to clear the major thoroughfares and critical lateral roads here so that we can get aid in. Most of our supermarkets, if not all, were severely affected so they won’t be able to provide supplies to persons who are in dire straits at this moment,” he adds.
National leadership has seen the damage personally, with an aerial tour of the region showing 80 to 90% of roofs in the area had been destroyed.
“It is going to be a enormous task to restore Black River. But although it is destroyed, we can envision a tomorrow of it emerging stronger and improved,” he informed reporters.
“It will be accomplished. So maintain the positive outlook, remain hopeful, and we will get through this, and we will rebuild better,” he affirmed.
