Mayor Leading Recovery Efforts at Storm Melissa's Epicenter

This local leader of the town of Black River – a community referred to as “ground zero” for Hurricane Melissa – has shared the immense flooding and widespread devastation caused by the disaster.

Reflecting on the harrowing ordeal, the mayor described riding out the intense storm at an emergency operating centre.

“The entire town of this area is devastated,” he said. “And that devastation is so catastrophic that the national leader designated this area as the worst-hit zone.”

Several people from Black River are reported dead, but Solomon mentioned hearing reports of other deaths that are still being verified due to connectivity and travel challenges.

“Storm Melissa came around eight in the morning and lasted for around nine hours, during which we were battered with strong gusts and a lot of rain,” he explained.

“We got up to 4.8 metres of water at the emergency operating centre. It was a bit scary for us, and we were hoping that it would not rise any more, because we were on the second floor, and frankly, when we saw the water climbing, it was a terrifying experience for us.”

The mayor stated that the town, located in the hard-hit south-western region of the area, is lacking running water and power, and the majority of structures have lost their roofs. An authority previously characterized the town as flooded, with more than 500,000 residents lacking electricity. A mudslide has blocked the main roads of Santa Cruz, where streets have been turned to muddy tracks. Residents are now sweeping water from their houses and trying to rescue their possessions.

Rescue efforts and damage assessments have proven almost impossible because all the town’s transport and critical services such as fire, law enforcement, medical centers and grocery stores were “severely damaged,” says the mayor.

The mayor is now focused on trying to help the neediest residents, while also dealing with the personal impact of the devastation.

“My vehicle was completely submerged by water. The roofing was lost, so I do understand the suffering that people are feeling, but what is a key focus for me now is to concentrate on getting assistance for the most vulnerable at this time,” he says.

Solomon believes that it will take billions of local currency to restore the community after Melissa’s destruction. For now, he states, the main goal is clearing blocked routes, which have cut off the town.

“We are now trying to clear 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 provide supplies to persons who are in dire straits at this moment,” he says.

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

“It is going to be a massive undertaking to restore this historic town. But while it is damaged, we can envision a tomorrow of it rising more resilient and improved,” he informed local media.

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