Mayor Guiding Recovery Work at Hurricane Melissa's Worst-Hit Area
This mayor of the town of Black River – an area referred to as “ground zero” for Hurricane Melissa – has shared the monstrous flooding and widespread devastation caused by the disaster.
Speaking on the traumatic experience, Richard Solomon recalled riding out the intense storm at an emergency response center.
“The entire town of this area 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 confirmed dead, but the mayor mentioned hearing reports of additional fatalities that are still being verified due to connectivity and travel challenges.
“Storm Melissa came around eight in the morning and continued for around nine hours, during which we were battered with strong gusts and torrential rainfall,” he added.
“We experienced up to 16ft of water at the emergency operating centre. It was a bit scary for us, and we were hoping that it would not increase any more, because we were on the upper level, and frankly, when we saw the water climbing, it was a scary moment for us.”
Solomon stated that the town, situated in the hard-hit southwest region of St Elizabeth, is without water and power, and the majority of structures have lost their roofs. An authority earlier described the town as flooded, with over half a million residents lacking electricity. A landslide has blocked the main roads of Santa Cruz, where streets have been reduced to mud pits. Residents are now sweeping water from their homes and trying to salvage their belongings.
Search and rescue operations and evaluations have become extremely difficult because every one of the town’s transport and essential facilities such as firefighting, law enforcement, medical centers and supermarkets were “immensely damaged,” says the mayor.
He is now concentrating on working to assist the neediest residents, while also dealing with the individual toll of the devastation.
“My vehicle was completely submerged by water. My roof went, so I do understand the suffering that persons are feeling, but what is a priority for me now is to focus on getting aid relief for the most at-risk at this time,” he says.
Solomon believes that it will take millions of local currency to restore the community after the hurricane's annihilation. At present, he states, the main goal is clearing impassable roads, which have cut off the town.
“Efforts are underway to clear the major thoroughfares and secondary routes here so that we can get aid in. Most of our stores, if not all, were impacted negatively so they will be unable to provide supplies to persons who are in need at this time,” he says.
National leadership has seen the damage personally, with an aerial tour of the region showing 80 to 90% of roofs in the area had been lost.
“It is going to be a massive undertaking to rebuild this historic town. 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 positive outlook, remain hopeful, and we will get through this, and we will reconstruct stronger,” he affirmed.
