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This mayor of the town of Black River – a community described as “ground zero” for the devastating storm – has detailed the immense flooding and widespread destruction caused by the catastrophe.

Speaking on the harrowing ordeal, Richard Solomon recalled enduring the Category 5 hurricane at an emergency response center.

“The entire town of this area is in ruins,” he said. “The destruction is so catastrophic that the national leader classified this area as the worst-hit zone.”

Several people from Black River are reported dead, but Solomon mentioned receiving word of additional deaths that are still being verified due to connectivity and transportation challenges.

“The hurricane came 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 got up to 4.8 metres of water at the response center. It was a bit scary for us, and we were praying that it would not rise any more, because we were on the second floor, and frankly, when we saw the water rising, it was a scary experience for us.”

Solomon explained that the town, situated in the hard-hit southwest parish of the area, is lacking running water and power, and the majority of buildings have lost their roofs. An authority previously described the town as under water, with more than half a million inhabitants without power. A mudslide has blocked the primary routes of a nearby area, where roadways have been reduced to mud pits. Residents are now removing water from their houses and attempting to salvage their belongings.

Search and rescue operations and evaluations have proven almost impossible because all the town’s transport and essential facilities such as firefighting, police, medical centers and grocery stores were “immensely damaged,” says Solomon.

He is now concentrating on working to help the most vulnerable, while also coping with the individual toll of the devastation.

“My vehicle was completely covered by water. My roof was lost, so I fully grasp the pain that persons are feeling, but what is a key focus for me now is to focus on securing assistance for the most at-risk at this point,” he says.

Solomon estimates that it will take billions of local currency to restore the community after Melissa’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 main roads and critical lateral roads here so that we can get aid in. Most of our supermarkets, if not all, were severely affected so they won’t be able to offer goods to persons who are in dire straits at this time,” he says.

The prime minister has witnessed the damage personally, with an flyover of the region showing 80 to 90% of buildings in the area had been lost.

“This will be a enormous task to restore Black River. But while it is damaged, we can envision a tomorrow of it emerging stronger and better,” he told reporters.

“It will be accomplished. So maintain the optimism, remain hopeful, and we will get through this, and we will reconstruct stronger,” he affirmed.