Mayor Guiding Rebuilding Efforts at Storm Melissa's Epicenter
The local leader of the town of Black River – an area referred to as “the epicenter” for the devastating storm – has detailed the monstrous flooding and extensive devastation wrought by the disaster.
Reflecting on the harrowing ordeal, Richard Solomon recalled riding out the Category 5 storm at an emergency operating centre.
“Our community of this area is in ruins,” he said. “The destruction is so catastrophic that the national leader designated this area as the worst-hit zone.”
Several people from the town are confirmed dead, but the mayor mentioned hearing reports of additional deaths that remain unconfirmed due to connectivity and travel challenges.
“The hurricane arrived around 8 a.m. and continued for around nine hours, during which we were pounded with heavy winds and a lot of rain,” he explained.
“We experienced up to 16ft of water at the emergency operating centre. That 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 frankly, when we saw the water climbing, it was a terrifying moment for us.”
The mayor stated that Black River, located in the severely affected southwest parish of St Elizabeth, is without water and power, and most buildings have lost their roofing. An authority earlier characterized the town as flooded, with more than 500,000 inhabitants lacking electricity. A landslide has blocked the primary routes of Santa Cruz, where roadways have been turned to muddy tracks. Residents are now removing water from their houses and trying to salvage their possessions.
Rescue efforts and damage assessments have become extremely difficult because all the town’s vehicles and critical services such as firefighting, law enforcement, medical centers and supermarkets were “immensely damaged,” notes the mayor.
He is now concentrating on trying to assist the neediest residents, while also coping with the personal impact of the disaster.
“The mayor's car was totally submerged by water. My roof was lost, so I do understand the suffering that persons are experiencing, but what is a priority for me now is to focus on getting aid relief for the most vulnerable at this time,” he explains.
Solomon believes that it will take millions of local currency to restore Black River after Melissa’s destruction. For now, he says, the priority is removing debris from impassable roads, which have cut off the town.
“We are now trying to get the major thoroughfares and critical lateral roads here so that we can deliver aid in. Most of our stores, if not all, were severely affected so they will be unable to offer goods to individuals who are in need at this moment,” he says.
The prime minister has seen the damage first-hand, with an flyover of the area showing the vast majority of roofs in the area had been lost.
“This will be a enormous task to restore this historic town. But while it is damaged, we can envision a tomorrow of it emerging more resilient and better,” he told local media.
“We will get it done. So maintain the positive outlook, keep hope alive, and we will get through this, and we will rebuild better,” he said.
