Mayor Leading Rebuilding Efforts at Hurricane Melissa's Ground Zero
The mayor of Black River – an area referred to as “ground zero” for Hurricane Melissa – has shared the monstrous storm surges and widespread devastation wrought by the catastrophe.
Reflecting on the traumatic experience, the mayor recalled enduring the Category 5 storm at an emergency response center.
“The entire town of Black River is devastated,” he stated. “The destruction is so catastrophic that the national leader designated this area as ground zero.”
Several people from Black River are confirmed to have died, but Solomon noted hearing reports of other deaths that are still being verified due to connectivity and travel challenges.
“The hurricane came around eight in the morning and continued for around several hours, during which we were battered with heavy winds and a lot of rain,” he added.
“We experienced up to 4.8 metres of flooding at the response center. It 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 climbing, it was a scary experience for us.”
Solomon explained that the town, situated in the severely affected southwest region of St Elizabeth, is without water and electricity, and most structures have had their roofs. An authority previously described the town as under water, with more than half a million inhabitants without power. A landslide has blocked the main roads of a nearby area, where roadways have been reduced to mud pits. Residents are now removing water from their houses and attempting to rescue their belongings.
Rescue efforts and evaluations have become extremely difficult because every one of the town’s transport and essential facilities such as firefighting, police, medical centers and supermarkets were “severely damaged,” says the mayor.
He is now concentrating on trying to help the most vulnerable, while also dealing with the personal impact of the devastation.
“My vehicle was totally submerged by water. The roofing was lost, so I fully grasp the pain that people are feeling, but what is a priority for me now is to concentrate on securing assistance for the most vulnerable at this time,” he says.
The mayor estimates that it will take millions of Jamaican dollars to restore the community after Melissa’s annihilation. For now, he says, the priority is removing debris from impassable roads, which have cut off the town.
“Efforts are underway to clear the main roads and critical lateral roads here so that we can deliver relief supplies in. The majority of our supermarkets, if not all, were severely affected so they will be unable to provide supplies to persons who are in dire straits at this moment,” he adds.
National leadership has witnessed the devastation first-hand, with an flyover of the area showing the vast majority of buildings in the area had been lost.
“This will be a enormous task to rebuild this historic town. But although it is destroyed, we can envision a future of it rising stronger 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 rebuild better,” he said.
