Mayor Leading Rebuilding Work at Storm Melissa's Worst-Hit Area
The local leader of Black River – a community referred to as “ground zero” for Hurricane Melissa – has shared the monstrous flooding and widespread destruction wrought by the catastrophe.
Speaking on the harrowing ordeal, Richard Solomon recalled riding out the intense hurricane at an emergency operating centre.
“The entire town of Black River is in ruins,” he stated. “The destruction is so catastrophic that the national leader classified this area as the worst-hit zone.”
Several people from Black River are reported to have died, but Solomon noted hearing reports of additional deaths that are still being verified due to connectivity and transportation difficulties.
“Storm Melissa came around 8 a.m. and continued for around several hours, during which we were battered with strong gusts and torrential rainfall,” he added.
“We got up to 4.8 metres of water at the response center. That was a bit scary for us, and we were praying that it would not increase any further, because we were on the second floor, and frankly, when we saw the water rising, it was a terrifying moment for us.”
The mayor stated that the town, located in the severely affected southwest region of the area, is without running water and power, and the majority of buildings have had their roofing. An authority earlier characterized the town as under water, with over half a million inhabitants lacking electricity. A landslide has obstructed the main roads of a nearby area, where roadways have been reduced to mud pits. Locals are now removing water from their homes and trying to salvage their belongings.
Search and rescue operations and evaluations have proven extremely difficult because every one of the town’s transport and essential facilities such as fire, law enforcement, hospitals and grocery stores were “severely damaged,” notes the mayor.
He is now concentrating on trying to assist the most vulnerable, while also dealing with the personal impact of the devastation.
“The mayor's car was completely submerged by water. My roof went, so I fully grasp the suffering that persons are experiencing, but what is a priority for me now is to focus on securing aid relief for the most at-risk at this time,” he explains.
Solomon estimates that it will take billions of Jamaican dollars to rebuild the community after the hurricane's destruction. At present, he states, the main goal is clearing blocked routes, which have cut off the town.
“We are now trying to clear the major thoroughfares and critical lateral roads here so that we can deliver relief supplies in. Most of our stores, if not all, were impacted negatively so they will be unable to provide supplies to individuals who are in dire straits at this moment,” he says.
National leadership has witnessed the damage personally, with an aerial tour of the region revealing 80 to 90% of buildings in the area had been lost.
“It is going to be a enormous task to restore Black River. But although it is destroyed, we can envision a tomorrow of it rising stronger and better,” he told reporters.
“We will get it done. So maintain the optimism, remain hopeful, and we will get through this, and we will rebuild better,” he affirmed.
