This local leader of the town of Black River – an area referred to as “ground zero” for the devastating storm – has shared the immense flooding and extensive devastation wrought by the catastrophe.
Speaking on the harrowing ordeal, the mayor recalled enduring the Category 5 storm at an emergency operating centre.
“Our community of this area is in ruins,” he said. “And that devastation is so severe that the prime minister designated this area as ground zero.”
Several people from Black River are confirmed dead, but Solomon mentioned receiving word of additional fatalities that remain unconfirmed due to connectivity and transportation difficulties.
“Storm Melissa came around 8 a.m. and lasted for around nine hours, during which we were battered with heavy winds and torrential rainfall,” he added.
“We experienced up to 4.8 metres of water at the response center. It was a bit scary for us, and we were hoping 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 scary moment for us.”
Solomon stated that the town, situated in the severely affected southwest parish of the area, is without water and electricity, and most structures have lost their roofing. One official previously characterized the town as flooded, with more than 500,000 residents without power. A landslide has blocked the main roads of a nearby area, where streets have been reduced to mud pits. Locals are now sweeping water from their houses and trying to salvage their possessions.
Search and rescue operations and evaluations have become extremely difficult because all the town’s transport and essential facilities such as fire, law enforcement, hospitals and grocery stores were “immensely damaged,” says Solomon.
He is now concentrating on trying to help the most vulnerable, while also coping with the individual toll of the devastation.
“My vehicle was totally submerged by water. The roofing was lost, so I fully grasp the suffering that people are experiencing, but what is a priority for me now is to focus on securing assistance for the most vulnerable at this time,” he says.
The mayor believes that it will take millions of local currency to rebuild the community after Melissa’s destruction. At present, he states, the main goal is clearing blocked routes, which have cut off the town.
“Efforts are underway to get the main roads and secondary routes here so that we can get relief supplies in. Most of our supermarkets, if not all, were impacted negatively so they won’t be able to offer goods to individuals who are in dire straits at this time,” he says.
The prime minister has seen the damage personally, with an flyover of the region showing the vast majority of roofs in the area had been lost.
“It is going to be a massive undertaking to restore Black River. But while it is destroyed, we can vision a future of it emerging more resilient and improved,” he told 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.
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