Mayor Leading Rebuilding Work at Storm Melissa's Ground Zero

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 devastation caused by the disaster.

Reflecting on the traumatic ordeal, Richard Solomon recalled riding out the intense hurricane at an emergency operating centre.

“The entire town of Black River is in ruins,” he stated. “The destruction is so catastrophic that the national leader designated this area as ground zero.”

Several people from Black River are reported to have died, but the mayor noted hearing reports of other fatalities that are still being verified due to connectivity and transportation challenges.

“Storm Melissa arrived around 8 a.m. and lasted for around nine hours, during which we were battered with heavy winds and a lot of rain,” he added.

“We got up to 4.8 metres of water at the response center. It was a frightening moment for us, and we were hoping that it would not rise any further, because we were on the upper level, and I tell you, when we saw the water climbing, it was a terrifying moment for us.”

The mayor stated that Black River, located in the hard-hit south-western region of St Elizabeth, is lacking running water and power, and the majority of structures have had their roofing. One official earlier described the town as flooded, with over half a million residents without power. A mudslide has blocked the primary routes of a nearby area, where streets have been reduced to mud pits. Residents are now sweeping water from their houses and trying to rescue their belongings.

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

The mayor is now concentrating on trying to assist the most vulnerable, while also coping with the personal impact of the disaster.

“The mayor's car was completely submerged by water. The roofing went, so I fully grasp the suffering that people are experiencing, but what is a key focus for me now is to focus on securing aid relief for the most vulnerable at this time,” he explains.

Solomon believes that it will take millions of Jamaican dollars to rebuild Black River after Melissa’s destruction. At present, he states, the main goal is removing debris from blocked routes, which have cut off the town.

“Efforts are underway to get the major thoroughfares and critical lateral roads here so that we can deliver aid in. The majority of our stores, 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.

The prime minister has witnessed the damage personally, with an aerial tour of the area revealing the vast majority of roofs in the area had been destroyed.

“It is going to be a massive undertaking to restore this historic town. But although it is damaged, we can vision a future of it rising stronger and better,” 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 rebuild better,” he said.