City Leader Leading Recovery Efforts at Storm Melissa's Worst-Hit Area
The local leader of Black River – a community referred to as “ground zero” for the devastating storm – has detailed the immense flooding and widespread destruction caused by the catastrophe.
Speaking on the harrowing experience, Richard Solomon described riding out the intense storm at an emergency operating centre.
“Our community of this area is in ruins,” he stated. “The destruction is so catastrophic that the national leader classified this area as the worst-hit zone.”
Several people from Black River are reported dead, but Solomon mentioned hearing reports of other deaths that remain unconfirmed due to communication and transportation difficulties.
“The hurricane came around eight in the morning and lasted for around several hours, during which we were pounded with heavy winds and a lot of rain,” he added.
“We got up to 16ft of flooding at the emergency operating centre. That was a frightening moment for us, and we were hoping that it would not rise any more, because we were on the upper level, and frankly, when we saw the water climbing, it was a scary experience for us.”
The mayor explained that Black River, situated in the hard-hit south-western parish of the area, is lacking running water and power, and most buildings have had their roofs. An authority earlier described the town as under water, with more than 500,000 residents without power. A mudslide has obstructed the primary routes of a nearby area, where streets have been turned to mud pits. Residents are now sweeping water from their houses and attempting to salvage their possessions.
Rescue efforts and evaluations have proven extremely difficult because every one of the town’s transport and critical services such as fire, police, hospitals and supermarkets were “immensely damaged,” notes the mayor.
He is now concentrating on trying to help the most vulnerable, while also dealing with the personal impact of the devastation.
“The mayor's car was totally submerged by water. My roof went, so I do understand the suffering that persons are feeling, but what is a key focus for me now is to concentrate on getting aid relief for the most vulnerable at this time,” he says.
Solomon estimates that it will take millions of Jamaican dollars to rebuild the community after the hurricane's destruction. For now, he states, the priority is clearing impassable roads, which have cut off the town.
“Efforts are underway to get the main roads and secondary routes here so that we can deliver aid 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 moment,” he says.
The prime minister has seen the damage first-hand, with an aerial tour of the area showing 80 to 90% of buildings in the area had been lost.
“It is going to be a enormous task to rebuild Black River. But although it is destroyed, we can envision a future of it rising stronger and better,” he told local media.
“It will be accomplished. So keep the optimism, keep hope alive, and we will get through this, and we will rebuild better,” he affirmed.
