City Leader Leading Rebuilding Efforts at Storm Melissa's Worst-Hit Area
The mayor of Black River – a community referred to as “the epicenter” for the devastating storm – has shared the immense storm surges and widespread destruction wrought by the catastrophe.
Speaking on the traumatic ordeal, the mayor described enduring the intense storm at an emergency response center.
“Our community of Black River is devastated,” he said. “And that devastation is so severe that the prime minister designated this area as ground zero.”
Several people from the town are confirmed dead, but the mayor mentioned hearing reports of additional deaths that are still being verified due to connectivity and transportation difficulties.
“The hurricane came around eight in the morning and lasted for around several hours, during which we were pounded with strong gusts and a lot of rain,” he explained.
“We got 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 more, because we were on the upper level, and frankly, when we saw the water rising, it was a scary experience for us.”
Solomon explained that the town, situated in the severely affected south-western parish of St Elizabeth, is without water and electricity, and the majority of buildings have had their roofs. One official previously characterized the town as under water, with more than 500,000 inhabitants without power. A landslide has blocked the main roads of Santa Cruz, where streets have been reduced to muddy tracks. Residents are now removing water from their homes and trying to rescue their possessions.
Search and rescue operations and evaluations have become extremely difficult because every one of the town’s transport and critical services such as firefighting, police, hospitals and supermarkets were “severely damaged,” notes Solomon.
He is now concentrating on trying to help the neediest residents, while also coping with the individual toll of the disaster.
“My vehicle was completely covered by water. My roof went, so I fully grasp the pain 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 says.
Solomon believes that it will take billions of Jamaican dollars to restore Black River after Melissa’s annihilation. For now, he states, the main goal is removing debris from impassable roads, which have isolated the town.
“Efforts are underway to get the major thoroughfares and secondary routes here so that we can deliver aid in. Most of our supermarkets, if not all, were severely affected so they won’t be able to provide supplies to persons who are in dire straits at this moment,” he says.
National leadership has seen the devastation first-hand, with an flyover of the area revealing 80 to 90% of roofs in the area had been destroyed.
“It is going to be a enormous undertaking to restore Black River. But while it is destroyed, we can vision a future of it emerging more resilient and improved,” he told reporters.
“We will get it done. So maintain the positive outlook, keep hope alive, and we will get through this, and we will reconstruct stronger,” he affirmed.
