🔗 Share this article

This local leader of the town of Black River – a community referred to as “the epicenter” for Hurricane Melissa – has shared the immense storm surges and widespread devastation caused by the catastrophe.

Reflecting on the traumatic ordeal, the mayor recalled riding out the intense storm at an emergency operating centre.

“Our community of Black River is in ruins,” he stated. “And that devastation is so catastrophic that the prime minister designated this area as the worst-hit zone.”

Five individuals from Black River are reported to have died, but Solomon mentioned hearing reports of other deaths that remain unconfirmed due to communication and transportation challenges.

“Storm Melissa arrived around eight in the morning and lasted for around nine 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 frankly, when we saw the water climbing, it was a scary experience for us.”

The mayor stated that Black River, situated in the hard-hit southwest parish of the area, is without running water and power, and the majority of buildings have had their roofs. One official previously described the town as flooded, with more than half a million inhabitants without power. A mudslide has blocked the primary routes of a nearby area, where roadways have been reduced to mud pits. Residents are now sweeping water from their houses and attempting to rescue their possessions.

Rescue efforts and evaluations have proven almost impossible because all the town’s vehicles and critical services such as fire, law enforcement, hospitals and supermarkets were “immensely damaged,” notes the mayor.

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

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

Solomon estimates that it will take millions of local currency to restore Black River after Melissa’s annihilation. For now, he says, the priority is removing debris from blocked routes, which have cut off the town.

“We are now trying to get the main roads and critical lateral roads here so that we can get aid in. The majority of our supermarkets, if not all, were severely affected so they won’t be able to offer goods to persons who are in dire straits at this moment,” he says.

The prime minister has seen the damage personally, with an flyover of the region showing the vast majority of buildings in the area had been lost.

“It is going to be a massive task to restore this historic town. But while it is damaged, we can envision a future of it emerging more resilient and better,” he told local media.

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