Mayor Leading Rebuilding Work at Hurricane Melissa's Ground Zero
The mayor of the town of Black River – a community described as “ground zero” for Hurricane Melissa – has detailed the immense flooding and widespread devastation caused by the catastrophe.
Speaking on the traumatic ordeal, the mayor described riding out the intense hurricane at an emergency response center.
“Our community of Black River is devastated,” he said. “The destruction is so catastrophic that the prime minister classified this area as the worst-hit zone.”
Several people from Black River are reported to have died, but the mayor noted hearing reports of additional fatalities that remain unconfirmed due to connectivity and travel difficulties.
“The hurricane arrived around 8 a.m. and continued for around nine hours, during which we were battered with strong gusts and torrential rainfall,” he explained.
“We got up to 16ft of water 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 experience for us.”
The mayor explained that Black River, located in the severely affected south-western region of the area, is lacking running water and power, and the majority of structures have lost their roofing. An authority previously described the town as under water, with over half a million residents without power. A landslide has obstructed the primary routes of Santa Cruz, where roadways have been turned to mud pits. Residents are now removing water from their houses and trying to salvage their possessions.
Search and rescue operations and evaluations have become almost impossible because all the town’s transport and critical services such as firefighting, law enforcement, hospitals and grocery stores were “severely damaged,” notes the mayor.
The mayor is now concentrating on trying to help the most vulnerable, while also coping with the individual toll 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 key focus for me now is to focus on securing aid relief for the most at-risk at this point,” he explains.
Solomon estimates that it will take billions of Jamaican dollars to restore Black River after Melissa’s annihilation. At present, he says, the main goal is removing debris from impassable roads, which have isolated the town.
“Efforts are underway to get the main roads and critical lateral roads here so that we can deliver relief supplies in. Most of our supermarkets, if not all, were impacted negatively so they won’t be able to offer goods to persons who are in need at this moment,” he adds.
National leadership has seen the damage first-hand, with an flyover of the area 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 destroyed, we can envision a tomorrow of it rising stronger and improved,” he informed reporters.
“We will get it done. So keep the positive outlook, remain hopeful, and we will get through this, and we will rebuild better,” he said.
