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The mayor of Black River – a community referred to as “the epicenter” for the devastating storm – has detailed the monstrous storm surges and extensive destruction wrought by the catastrophe.

Speaking on the traumatic experience, Richard Solomon described riding out the intense storm at an emergency response center.

“Our community of Black River is devastated,” he said. “The destruction is so catastrophic that the prime minister classified this area as ground zero.”

Several people from the town are confirmed dead, but Solomon mentioned receiving word of other fatalities that are still being verified due to communication and travel challenges.

“The hurricane arrived around 8 a.m. and lasted for around nine hours, during which we were battered with strong gusts and torrential rainfall,” he added.

“We experienced up to 16ft of flooding at the response center. It was a frightening moment 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 climbing, it was a terrifying experience for us.”

The mayor explained that Black River, located in the severely affected south-western parish of the area, is without running water and power, and most buildings have had their roofing. An authority earlier characterized the town as flooded, with over 500,000 inhabitants lacking electricity. A mudslide has obstructed the main roads of Santa Cruz, where streets have been turned to muddy tracks. Residents are now sweeping water from their houses and trying to salvage their possessions.

Rescue efforts and evaluations have proven almost impossible because all the town’s vehicles and critical services such as firefighting, law enforcement, medical centers and supermarkets were “severely damaged,” says the mayor.

The mayor is now concentrating on working to assist the most vulnerable, while also coping with the personal impact of the disaster.

“The mayor's car was totally covered 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 aid relief for the most at-risk at this time,” he explains.

The mayor estimates that it will take billions of Jamaican dollars to restore Black River after the hurricane's annihilation. At present, he states, the priority is clearing impassable roads, which have isolated the town.

“We are now trying to clear the major thoroughfares and critical lateral roads here so that we can deliver aid in. The majority of our stores, if not all, were impacted negatively so they will be unable to offer goods to persons who are in dire straits at this time,” he says.

National leadership has seen the devastation personally, with an flyover of the region revealing 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 damaged, we can vision a tomorrow of it rising more resilient and better,” he informed reporters.

“It will be accomplished. So maintain the positive outlook, keep hope alive, and we will get through this, and we will rebuild better,” he said.