🔗 Share this article Mayor Leading Recovery Work at Hurricane Melissa's Ground Zero The mayor of the town of Black River – a community referred to as “the epicenter” for the devastating storm – has shared the monstrous flooding and widespread devastation caused by the disaster. Satellite photos show the community of Black River prior to and following the arrival of Hurricane Melissa. Speaking on the traumatic ordeal, Richard Solomon described riding out the intense hurricane at an emergency response center. “The entire town of this area is devastated,” he stated. “And that devastation is so severe that the national leader designated this area as ground zero.” Several people from the town are confirmed dead, but Solomon mentioned hearing reports of additional deaths that are still being verified due to connectivity and travel difficulties. “The hurricane arrived around 8 a.m. and continued for around several hours, during which we were pounded with strong gusts and torrential rainfall,” he added. City leader of Black River assessing the aftermath in the wake of Hurricane Melissa. “We got up to 16ft of flooding at the response center. That was a bit scary for us, and we were praying that it would not rise any more, because we were on the second floor, and I tell you, when we saw the water rising, it was a terrifying experience for us.” The mayor explained that the town, located in the severely affected south-western region of St Elizabeth, is without running water and electricity, and the majority of structures have lost their roofing. An authority previously described the town as under water, with over 500,000 residents without power. A landslide has obstructed the primary routes of a nearby area, where roadways have been turned to mud pits. Residents are now removing water from their homes and attempting to rescue their belongings. Search and rescue operations and evaluations have become almost impossible because every one of the town’s transport and essential facilities such as fire, law enforcement, hospitals and grocery stores were “severely damaged,” says the mayor. The mayor is now focused on working to assist the neediest residents, while also coping with the personal impact of the devastation. “My vehicle was completely covered by water. My roof was lost, so I fully grasp 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 at-risk at this time,” he explains. Solomon estimates that it will take billions of local currency to restore the community after the hurricane's annihilation. For now, he says, the main goal is clearing impassable roads, which have isolated the town. “Efforts are underway to clear the major thoroughfares and secondary routes here so that we can deliver relief supplies in. Most of our stores, if not all, were severely affected so they will be unable to offer goods to persons who are in dire straits at this time,” he says. National leadership has seen the devastation first-hand, with an aerial tour of the area showing the vast majority of roofs in the area had been lost. “This will be a enormous task to rebuild this historic town. But although it is destroyed, we can vision a future of it rising more resilient and improved,” he informed 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.