City Leader Leading Recovery Work at Hurricane Melissa's Ground Zero
This mayor of Black River – a community referred to as “the epicenter” for Hurricane Melissa – has shared the immense storm surges and extensive devastation caused by the catastrophe.
Reflecting on the harrowing ordeal, the mayor described riding out the Category 5 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 Black River are confirmed dead, but Solomon noted hearing reports of other deaths that remain unconfirmed due to connectivity and transportation challenges.
“Storm Melissa came around eight in the morning and continued for around several hours, during which we were battered with heavy winds and torrential rainfall,” he added.
“We experienced up to 16ft of water at the response center. It was a frightening moment for us, and we were praying that it would not increase any further, 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 hard-hit south-western parish of the area, is lacking running water and power, and most buildings have lost their roofing. An authority previously characterized the town as flooded, with over 500,000 inhabitants lacking electricity. A landslide has blocked the primary routes of a nearby area, where roadways have been turned to muddy tracks. Locals are now sweeping water from their homes and trying to rescue their belongings.
Search and rescue operations and evaluations have become extremely difficult because every one of the town’s vehicles and critical services such as fire, law enforcement, medical centers and supermarkets 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 disaster.
“The mayor's car was completely submerged by water. My roof was lost, so I fully grasp the pain that people are experiencing, but what is a priority for me now is to concentrate on getting assistance for the most at-risk at this point,” he explains.
The mayor believes that it will take millions of local currency to restore Black River after Melissa’s destruction. At present, he states, the main goal is clearing blocked routes, which have isolated the town.
“Efforts are underway to get the major thoroughfares and secondary routes here so that we can deliver aid in. The majority of our stores, if not all, were impacted negatively so they won’t be able to provide supplies to individuals who are in need at this time,” he adds.
The prime minister has witnessed the devastation first-hand, with an aerial tour of the region revealing the vast majority of buildings in the area had been destroyed.
“It is going to be a massive undertaking to restore this historic town. But while it is destroyed, we can vision a tomorrow of it emerging more resilient and better,” he told reporters.
“It will be accomplished. So maintain the positive outlook, remain hopeful, and we will get through this, and we will rebuild better,” he affirmed.
