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The local leader of Black River – a community described as “ground zero” for the devastating storm – has detailed the monstrous flooding and widespread devastation caused by the disaster.

Speaking on the traumatic experience, the mayor recalled riding out the intense storm at an emergency response center.

“The entire town of Black River is devastated,” he said. “And that devastation is so catastrophic that the prime minister designated this area as ground zero.”

Five individuals from Black River are reported dead, but Solomon mentioned receiving word of additional fatalities that remain unconfirmed due to communication and travel challenges.

“The hurricane came around eight in the morning and lasted for around nine hours, during which we were pounded with heavy winds and a lot of rain,” he added.

“We experienced up to 4.8 metres of water at the response center. That was a bit scary for us, and we were hoping that it would not increase any more, because we were on the second floor, and I tell you, when we saw the water rising, it was a terrifying moment for us.”

The mayor stated that the town, situated in the hard-hit south-western region of St Elizabeth, is without water and power, and most structures have had their roofing. One official previously described the town as under water, with over 500,000 residents lacking electricity. A mudslide has obstructed the primary routes of a nearby area, where streets have been reduced to muddy tracks. Locals are now sweeping water from their homes and trying to rescue their possessions.

Rescue efforts and damage assessments have proven extremely difficult because every one of the town’s vehicles and critical services such as fire, police, hospitals and supermarkets were “immensely damaged,” says Solomon.

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

“My vehicle was totally submerged by water. The roofing 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 at-risk at this time,” he explains.

Solomon believes that it will take millions of Jamaican dollars to rebuild Black River after the hurricane's annihilation. For now, he states, the main goal is removing debris from impassable roads, which have isolated the town.

“Efforts are underway to clear the main roads and critical lateral roads here so that we can deliver aid in. The majority 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 time,” he adds.

The prime minister has seen the damage first-hand, with an flyover of the region showing 80 to 90% of buildings in the area had been destroyed.

“This will be a massive undertaking to rebuild Black River. But although it is destroyed, we can vision a tomorrow of it emerging more resilient and improved,” he informed local media.

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