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This mayor of the town of Black River – an area described as “the epicenter” for the devastating storm – has detailed the monstrous flooding and widespread destruction caused by the catastrophe.

Reflecting on the traumatic experience, Richard Solomon described enduring the intense hurricane at an emergency operating centre.

“Our community of this area is in ruins,” he stated. “The destruction is so catastrophic that the prime minister classified this area as ground zero.”

Five individuals from the town are confirmed to have died, but Solomon mentioned hearing reports of additional deaths that are still being verified due to communication and transportation difficulties.

“The hurricane came around 8 a.m. and lasted for around nine hours, during which we were battered with heavy winds and torrential rainfall,” he explained.

“We experienced up to 4.8 metres of flooding at the response center. It was a bit scary for us, and we were praying that it would not increase any further, because we were on the upper level, and frankly, when we saw the water rising, it was a terrifying moment for us.”

Solomon explained that Black River, situated in the severely affected south-western parish of St Elizabeth, is lacking water and electricity, and the majority of structures have had their roofs. An authority earlier described the town as under water, with over 500,000 inhabitants lacking electricity. A mudslide 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 attempting to salvage their possessions.

Search and rescue operations and evaluations have become extremely difficult because every one of the town’s transport and critical services such as firefighting, police, hospitals and supermarkets were “severely damaged,” notes Solomon.

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

“The mayor's car was totally submerged by water. The roofing was lost, so I do understand the pain that people are feeling, but what is a priority for me now is to concentrate on securing aid relief for the most at-risk at this time,” he says.

Solomon believes that it will take millions of Jamaican dollars to restore the community after the hurricane's annihilation. At present, he states, the main goal is removing debris from blocked routes, which have isolated the town.

“We are now trying to clear the major thoroughfares and critical lateral roads here so that we can get aid in. Most of our supermarkets, if not all, were severely affected so they will be unable to offer goods to persons who are in dire straits at this moment,” he adds.

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

“This will be a enormous task to rebuild this historic town. But while it is destroyed, we can vision a future of it emerging more resilient and improved,” he told reporters.

“We will get it done. So maintain the optimism, remain hopeful, and we will overcome this challenge, and we will rebuild better,” he affirmed.