City Leader Leading Rebuilding Efforts at Hurricane Melissa's Worst-Hit Area
The mayor of Black River – a community described as “the epicenter” for Hurricane Melissa – has detailed the immense storm surges and widespread devastation wrought by the catastrophe.
Speaking on the harrowing experience, Richard Solomon recalled riding out the Category 5 hurricane at an emergency response center.
“Our community of Black River is devastated,” he said. “And that devastation is so catastrophic that the prime minister designated this area as the worst-hit zone.”
Several people from Black River are confirmed to have died, but the mayor noted hearing reports of additional deaths that remain unconfirmed due to communication and transportation difficulties.
“The hurricane arrived around 8 a.m. and lasted for around several hours, during which we were battered with strong gusts and a lot of rain,” he added.
“We experienced up to 16ft of water at the response center. 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 rising, it was a terrifying moment for us.”
Solomon stated that Black River, located in the hard-hit southwest region of St Elizabeth, is lacking running water and power, and most structures have lost their roofs. An authority earlier characterized the town as flooded, with over 500,000 inhabitants lacking electricity. A mudslide has obstructed the main roads of Santa Cruz, where roadways have been reduced to mud pits. Locals are now removing water from their houses and attempting to salvage their belongings.
Rescue efforts and evaluations have proven almost impossible because every one of the town’s transport and essential facilities such as firefighting, law enforcement, medical centers and supermarkets were “severely damaged,” notes the mayor.
He is now focused on working to help the most vulnerable, while also coping with the personal impact of the devastation.
“My vehicle was completely submerged by water. My roof was lost, so I do understand the pain that persons are feeling, but what is a key focus for me now is to concentrate on getting assistance for the most at-risk at this point,” he says.
The mayor believes that it will take millions of local currency to rebuild Black River after the hurricane's destruction. At present, he says, the main goal is clearing impassable roads, which have isolated the town.
“We are now trying to get the main roads and secondary routes here so that we can deliver aid in. The majority 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 says.
National leadership has witnessed the devastation personally, with an flyover of the region revealing 80 to 90% of roofs in the area had been lost.
“This will be a massive undertaking to rebuild Black River. But while it is destroyed, we can envision a future of it emerging more resilient and improved,” he told local media.
“It will be accomplished. So maintain the optimism, keep hope alive, and we will overcome this challenge, and we will rebuild better,” he said.
