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The local leader of Black River – a community described as “ground zero” for the devastating storm – has detailed the monstrous flooding and widespread devastation wrought by the disaster.

Reflecting on the traumatic experience, Richard Solomon described riding out the intense storm at an emergency operating centre.

“Our community of Black River is in ruins,” he said. “And that devastation is so catastrophic that the national leader designated this area as the worst-hit zone.”

Five individuals from the town are reported dead, but Solomon mentioned hearing reports of additional deaths that remain unconfirmed due to communication and transportation challenges.

“The hurricane arrived around eight in the morning and lasted for around several hours, during which we were battered with strong gusts and torrential rainfall,” he added.

“We got up to 16ft of flooding at the emergency operating centre. That was a frightening moment for us, and we were praying that it would not rise any more, because we were on the second floor, and frankly, when we saw the water rising, it was a terrifying experience for us.”

Solomon stated that the town, situated in the severely affected southwest parish of the area, is lacking running water and electricity, and most structures have lost their roofing. An authority earlier described the town as flooded, with more than half a million residents lacking electricity. A mudslide has obstructed the primary routes of a nearby area, where streets have been turned to muddy tracks. Locals are now sweeping water from their houses and attempting to salvage their possessions.

Rescue efforts and evaluations have become extremely difficult because all the town’s vehicles and critical services such as fire, police, hospitals and grocery stores were “immensely damaged,” says the mayor.

The mayor is now concentrating on working to assist the neediest residents, while also coping with the individual toll of the devastation.

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

Solomon believes that it will take millions of Jamaican dollars to rebuild the community after Melissa’s destruction. At present, he says, the main goal is removing debris from blocked routes, which have cut off the town.

“We are now trying to clear the major thoroughfares and secondary routes here so that we can get relief supplies in. Most of our stores, if not all, were severely affected so they won’t be able to provide supplies to individuals who are in need at this time,” he says.

National leadership has witnessed the devastation personally, with an flyover of the region revealing the vast majority of roofs in the area had been lost.

“This will be a enormous task to restore Black River. But while it is damaged, we can envision a tomorrow of it emerging more resilient and improved,” he told reporters.

“We will get it done. So maintain the optimism, keep hope alive, and we will overcome this challenge, and we will rebuild better,” he said.