Mayor Guiding Rebuilding Efforts at Hurricane Melissa's Ground Zero
This mayor of Black River – a community described as “ground zero” for the devastating storm – has shared the monstrous storm surges and widespread devastation caused by the catastrophe.
Reflecting on the harrowing ordeal, Richard Solomon described riding out the intense hurricane at an emergency operating centre.
“Our community of Black River is devastated,” he said. “The destruction is so severe that the prime minister designated this area as the worst-hit zone.”
Five individuals from Black River are confirmed dead, but Solomon mentioned receiving word of other deaths that remain unconfirmed due to communication and transportation challenges.
“Storm Melissa came around 8 a.m. and lasted for around nine 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. That was a frightening moment 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 climbing, it was a terrifying moment for us.”
The mayor explained that the town, situated in the hard-hit south-western parish of St Elizabeth, is without water and power, and most buildings have lost their roofing. An authority earlier characterized the town as flooded, with over 500,000 inhabitants without power. A mudslide has obstructed the primary routes of Santa Cruz, where streets have been reduced to mud pits. Residents are now sweeping water from their homes and trying to rescue their possessions.
Search and rescue operations and evaluations have become extremely difficult because all the town’s vehicles and critical services such as firefighting, law enforcement, medical centers and grocery stores were “severely damaged,” says the mayor.
The mayor is now concentrating on working to assist the most vulnerable, while also coping with the individual toll of the devastation.
“The mayor's car was completely covered by water. The roofing went, so I do understand the pain that persons are feeling, but what is a key focus for me now is to concentrate on securing assistance for the most vulnerable at this time,” he explains.
Solomon estimates that it will take billions of local currency to rebuild the community after Melissa’s destruction. For now, he states, the priority is clearing impassable roads, which have cut off the town.
“We are now trying to clear the major thoroughfares and critical lateral roads here so that we can get relief supplies in. The majority of our stores, if not all, were severely affected so they will be unable to offer goods to individuals who are in need at this time,” he adds.
National leadership has seen the devastation personally, with an aerial tour of the area revealing 80 to 90% of roofs in the area had been lost.
“This will be a enormous task to rebuild Black River. But while it is damaged, we can envision a tomorrow of it emerging more resilient and improved,” he told local media.
“It will be accomplished. So maintain the optimism, keep hope alive, and we will get through this, and we will reconstruct stronger,” he affirmed.
