🔗 Share this article

This local leader of the town of Black River – an area referred to 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 storm at an emergency operating centre.

“The entire town of this area is in ruins,” he said. “The destruction is so severe that the national leader classified this area as the worst-hit zone.”

Several people from Black River are confirmed dead, but the mayor noted hearing reports of other deaths that are still being verified due to communication and transportation challenges.

“Storm Melissa arrived around 8 a.m. and continued for around nine hours, during which we were battered with strong gusts and torrential rainfall,” he added.

“We experienced up to 16ft of flooding at the emergency operating centre. That was a frightening moment for us, and we were hoping 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.”

The mayor explained that the town, located in the severely affected southwest region of St Elizabeth, is lacking water and power, and most buildings have lost their roofing. An authority earlier characterized the town as under water, with over 500,000 inhabitants without power. A landslide has obstructed the primary routes of a nearby area, where roadways have been reduced to muddy tracks. Locals are now removing water from their houses and trying to salvage their possessions.

Rescue efforts and damage assessments have proven extremely difficult because every one of the town’s transport and essential facilities such as firefighting, police, medical centers and grocery stores were “immensely damaged,” says the mayor.

The mayor is now concentrating on working to help the most vulnerable, while also coping with the personal impact of the disaster.

“The mayor's car was totally submerged by water. My roof went, so I do understand the pain that persons are feeling, but what is a key focus for me now is to concentrate on securing aid relief for the most at-risk at this point,” he explains.

The mayor believes that it will take millions of local currency to restore Black River after Melissa’s destruction. At present, he says, the priority is removing debris from impassable roads, which have isolated the town.

“We are now trying to get the main roads and secondary routes here so that we can get relief supplies in. Most of our supermarkets, if not all, were severely affected so they will be unable to offer goods to persons who are in need at this time,” he says.

The prime minister has witnessed the damage first-hand, with an flyover of the region revealing the vast majority of buildings in the area had been destroyed.

“This will be a enormous task to rebuild Black River. But while it is damaged, we can envision a future of it emerging more resilient and better,” he informed reporters.

“We will get it done. So maintain the optimism, remain hopeful, and we will get through this, and we will reconstruct stronger,” he affirmed.