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The local leader of the town of Black River – a community referred to as “ground zero” for the devastating storm – has detailed the immense storm surges and widespread destruction caused by the catastrophe.

Reflecting on the traumatic ordeal, Richard Solomon recalled riding out the Category 5 storm at an emergency response center.

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

Five individuals from the town are reported dead, but Solomon noted receiving word of other deaths that are still being verified due to connectivity and transportation difficulties.

“The hurricane came around eight in the morning and continued for around several hours, during which we were battered with strong gusts and torrential rainfall,” he added.

“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 more, because we were on the upper level, and I tell you, when we saw the water rising, it was a scary moment for us.”

Solomon stated that the town, located in the severely affected south-western parish of the area, is without running water and power, and most buildings have lost their roofs. An authority earlier characterized the town as flooded, with more than 500,000 inhabitants lacking electricity. A landslide has blocked the primary routes of a nearby area, where streets have been reduced to muddy tracks. Residents are now removing water from their homes and trying to rescue their belongings.

Search and rescue operations and damage assessments have become extremely difficult because all the town’s transport and critical services such as firefighting, law enforcement, medical centers and grocery stores were “severely damaged,” says the mayor.

He is now concentrating on working to assist the most vulnerable, while also dealing with the personal impact of the devastation.

“My vehicle was completely submerged by water. The roofing went, so I do understand the suffering that people are experiencing, but what is a priority 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 Jamaican dollars to restore the community after the hurricane's annihilation. At present, he says, the main goal 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 supermarkets, if not all, were impacted negatively so they will be unable to offer goods to persons who are in need at this moment,” he adds.

National leadership has witnessed the devastation personally, with an flyover of the region showing the vast majority of buildings in the area had been lost.

“This will be a enormous task to rebuild Black River. But while it is destroyed, we can vision a future of it emerging more resilient and improved,” he told reporters.

“It will be accomplished. So maintain the positive outlook, keep hope alive, and we will get through this, and we will rebuild better,” he affirmed.