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This local leader 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 disaster.

Speaking on the harrowing ordeal, Richard Solomon recalled riding out the intense storm at an emergency operating centre.

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

Several people from the town are reported to have died, but Solomon mentioned hearing reports of additional fatalities that remain unconfirmed due to communication and transportation challenges.

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

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

The mayor stated that the town, located in the hard-hit southwest region of the area, is without water and power, and the majority of buildings have lost their roofs. An authority earlier characterized the town as flooded, with over 500,000 residents lacking electricity. A mudslide has blocked the primary routes of Santa Cruz, where streets have been reduced to muddy tracks. Residents are now removing water from their homes and attempting to salvage their belongings.

Rescue efforts and damage assessments have proven almost impossible because every one of the town’s vehicles and critical services such as firefighting, law enforcement, hospitals and grocery stores were “severely damaged,” says the mayor.

He is now focused on trying to help the most vulnerable, while also coping with the individual toll of the disaster.

“The mayor's car was completely submerged by water. My roof was lost, so I do understand 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 time,” he says.

The mayor believes that it will take billions of local currency to restore the community after Melissa’s destruction. For now, he says, the priority is clearing impassable roads, which have isolated the town.

“We are now trying to get the major thoroughfares and secondary routes here so that we can deliver aid in. The majority of our stores, if not all, were severely affected so they won’t be able to offer goods to persons who are in need at this moment,” he says.

National leadership has seen the devastation personally, with an flyover of the area showing 80 to 90% of roofs in the area had been lost.

“It is going to be a enormous task to rebuild this historic town. But although it is destroyed, we can envision a future of it emerging stronger and better,” he told reporters.

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