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The local leader of the town of Black River – a community described as “the epicenter” for Hurricane Melissa – has detailed the immense flooding and widespread destruction wrought by the disaster.

Speaking on the traumatic experience, Richard Solomon described riding out the Category 5 storm at an emergency response center.

“Our community of this area is devastated,” he stated. “The destruction is so severe that the prime minister classified this area as the worst-hit zone.”

Several people from Black River are confirmed to have died, but Solomon noted receiving word of other deaths that remain unconfirmed due to communication and transportation difficulties.

“Storm Melissa arrived around 8 a.m. and lasted for around several hours, during which we were battered with heavy winds and torrential rainfall,” he explained.

“We experienced up to 16ft of water at the emergency operating centre. It was a bit scary for us, and we were praying that it would not rise any further, because we were on the second floor, and I tell you, when we saw the water climbing, it was a terrifying moment for us.”

Solomon stated that Black River, located in the severely affected south-western region of St Elizabeth, is lacking running water and electricity, and the majority of buildings have lost their roofs. An authority previously characterized the town as under water, with over half a million residents lacking electricity. A mudslide has blocked the main roads of a nearby area, where streets have been reduced to muddy tracks. Locals are now sweeping water from their homes and trying to salvage their possessions.

Rescue efforts and damage assessments have become extremely difficult because all the town’s transport and essential facilities such as fire, police, medical centers and grocery stores were “severely damaged,” says the mayor.

He is now concentrating on working to help the neediest residents, while also coping with the personal impact of the disaster.

“The mayor's car was completely submerged by water. The roofing was lost, so I fully grasp the pain that people are experiencing, but what is a priority for me now is to focus on getting assistance for the most at-risk at this point,” he says.

Solomon believes that it will take billions of Jamaican dollars to restore Black River after the hurricane's destruction. For now, he says, the priority is removing debris from impassable roads, which have cut off the town.

“We are now trying to get the main roads and critical lateral roads here so that we can get relief supplies in. The majority of our stores, if not all, were impacted negatively so they won’t be able to offer goods to individuals who are in need at this time,” he adds.

The prime minister has seen the devastation personally, with an aerial tour of the area revealing the vast majority of buildings in the area had been lost.

“This will be a enormous undertaking to restore Black River. But although it is damaged, we can envision a tomorrow of it emerging more resilient and better,” he told local media.

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