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

Speaking on the harrowing ordeal, Richard Solomon recalled enduring the intense hurricane at an emergency operating centre.

“Our community of this area is in ruins,” he stated. “The destruction is so severe that the prime minister designated this area as the worst-hit zone.”

Several people from the town are confirmed to have died, but Solomon mentioned receiving word of additional deaths that remain unconfirmed due to connectivity and transportation difficulties.

“The hurricane arrived around 8 a.m. and lasted for around nine hours, during which we were battered with heavy winds and a lot of rain,” he explained.

“We got up to 4.8 metres of water at the emergency operating centre. It was a frightening moment for us, and we were praying that it would not rise any further, because we were on the upper level, and I tell you, when we saw the water climbing, it was a terrifying experience for us.”

The mayor explained that Black River, situated in the hard-hit south-western parish of the area, is lacking running water and electricity, and the majority of structures have lost their roofs. One official previously characterized the town as under water, with over half a million residents without power. A landslide has obstructed the primary routes of a nearby area, where streets 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 critical services such as firefighting, law enforcement, hospitals and supermarkets were “severely damaged,” notes Solomon.

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

“My vehicle was totally covered by water. The roofing was lost, so I fully grasp the suffering that persons are experiencing, but what is a priority for me now is to concentrate on getting assistance for the most vulnerable at this time,” he explains.

The mayor believes that it will take billions of Jamaican dollars to restore the community after the hurricane's destruction. At present, he says, the priority is clearing impassable roads, which have isolated the town.

“Efforts are underway to clear the main roads and critical lateral roads here so that we can deliver aid in. Most of our supermarkets, if not all, were impacted negatively so they won’t be able to offer goods to individuals who are in need at this moment,” he adds.

The prime minister has seen the devastation first-hand, with an aerial tour of the area revealing 80 to 90% of roofs in the area had been destroyed.

“This will be a massive undertaking to restore this historic town. But although it is destroyed, we can envision a tomorrow of it emerging stronger and improved,” he informed local media.

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