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The local leader of the town of Black River – an area described as “the epicenter” for the devastating storm – has detailed the monstrous flooding and widespread devastation caused by the disaster.

Reflecting on the traumatic experience, the mayor recalled enduring the Category 5 storm at an emergency operating centre.

“The entire town of Black River is in ruins,” he said. “And that devastation is so catastrophic that the prime minister designated this area as ground zero.”

Several people from the town are confirmed dead, but Solomon mentioned receiving word of additional deaths that remain unconfirmed due to communication and transportation challenges.

“The hurricane came around eight in the morning and lasted for around several hours, during which we were pounded with heavy winds and torrential rainfall,” he explained.

“We got up to 16ft of flooding at the response center. It 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.”

The mayor stated that Black River, situated in the hard-hit south-western parish of St Elizabeth, is lacking water and power, and most buildings have had their roofs. One official previously described the town as under water, with more than 500,000 residents lacking electricity. A landslide has blocked the primary routes of Santa Cruz, where streets have been reduced to muddy tracks. Residents are now removing water from their homes and attempting to rescue their possessions.

Rescue efforts and damage assessments have become extremely difficult because all the town’s transport and essential facilities such as firefighting, law enforcement, hospitals and grocery stores were “severely damaged,” notes Solomon.

He is now concentrating on working to help the most vulnerable, while also dealing with the individual toll of the disaster.

“The mayor's car was totally submerged by water. The roofing was lost, so I fully grasp the suffering that people are feeling, but what is a key focus for me now is to focus on getting aid relief for the most vulnerable at this time,” he explains.

Solomon believes that it will take millions of local currency to rebuild the community after the hurricane's destruction. At present, he states, the main goal is clearing impassable roads, which have cut off the town.

“Efforts are underway to get the main roads and critical lateral roads here so that we can deliver aid in. Most of our stores, if not all, were impacted negatively so they will be unable to offer goods to persons who are in need at this moment,” he adds.

National leadership has seen the devastation first-hand, with an aerial tour of the region showing the vast majority of roofs in the area had been lost.

“This will be a massive task to rebuild this historic town. But while it is destroyed, we can vision a tomorrow of it rising more resilient and better,” he told local media.

“It will be accomplished. So keep the positive outlook, keep hope alive, and we will get through this, and we will reconstruct stronger,” he affirmed.