Mayor Leading Recovery Work at Storm Melissa's Worst-Hit Area
This local leader of Black River – a community referred to as “ground zero” for the devastating storm – has shared the monstrous storm surges and extensive devastation caused by the disaster.
Reflecting on the traumatic ordeal, the mayor described riding out the Category 5 storm at an emergency operating centre.
“Our community of Black River is devastated,” he stated. “The destruction is so severe that the national leader classified this area as the worst-hit zone.”
Several people from Black River are confirmed to have died, but Solomon noted receiving word of other deaths that are still being verified due to connectivity and travel difficulties.
“The hurricane came around eight in the morning and continued for around nine hours, during which we were battered with heavy winds and torrential rainfall,” he added.
“We experienced up to 16ft of water at the emergency operating centre. That was a bit scary for us, and we were hoping that it would not rise any further, 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 region of the area, is without water and electricity, and most buildings have lost their roofing. One official previously characterized the town as under water, with over half a million residents lacking electricity. A mudslide has blocked the primary routes of Santa Cruz, where roadways have been turned to muddy tracks. Locals are now removing water from their houses and attempting to salvage their belongings.
Rescue efforts and damage assessments have become extremely difficult because every one of the town’s vehicles and essential facilities such as firefighting, police, medical centers and supermarkets were “immensely damaged,” says Solomon.
The mayor is now focused on trying to help the neediest residents, while also coping with the personal impact of the devastation.
“The mayor's car was completely submerged by water. My roof went, so I fully grasp the pain that persons are feeling, but what is a key focus for me now is to concentrate on getting aid relief for the most vulnerable at this time,” he says.
The mayor believes that it will take millions of local currency to restore Black River after Melissa’s annihilation. For now, he states, the main goal is removing debris from blocked routes, which have cut off the town.
“We are now trying to get the major thoroughfares and secondary routes here so that we can get relief supplies in. The majority of our supermarkets, if not all, were severely affected so they won’t be able to provide supplies to persons who are in dire straits at this time,” he adds.
National leadership has witnessed the damage first-hand, with an aerial tour of the region showing 80 to 90% of buildings in the area had been destroyed.
“This will be a enormous undertaking to rebuild Black River. But while it is destroyed, we can vision a future of it emerging stronger and better,” he informed reporters.
“We will get it done. So maintain the optimism, keep hope alive, and we will overcome this challenge, and we will rebuild better,” he said.
