Mayor Leading Recovery Work at Storm Melissa's Ground Zero
The mayor of the town of Black River – a community referred to as “the epicenter” for Hurricane Melissa – has detailed the monstrous storm surges and extensive destruction caused by the catastrophe.
Reflecting on the traumatic experience, the mayor described riding out the Category 5 hurricane at an emergency operating centre.
“The entire town of this area is devastated,” he said. “And that devastation is so catastrophic that the national leader designated this area as ground zero.”
Five individuals from the town are reported to have died, but Solomon noted receiving word of other deaths that remain unconfirmed due to communication and transportation difficulties.
“Storm Melissa came around 8 a.m. and continued for around several hours, during which we were pounded with strong gusts and torrential rainfall,” he explained.
“We got up to 4.8 metres of flooding at the emergency operating centre. It was a frightening moment for us, and we were praying that it would not rise any further, because we were on the second floor, and frankly, when we saw the water climbing, it was a scary moment for us.”
Solomon stated that the town, located in the severely affected southwest region of the area, is lacking water and power, and the majority of buildings have lost their roofs. An authority earlier described the town as under water, with more than half a million residents without power. A landslide has blocked the primary routes of a nearby area, where streets have been turned to muddy tracks. Locals are now sweeping water from their homes and attempting to salvage their possessions.
Rescue efforts and damage assessments have become almost impossible because every one of the town’s vehicles and essential facilities such as fire, law enforcement, medical centers and supermarkets were “severely damaged,” notes the mayor.
He is now concentrating on trying to help the neediest residents, while also dealing with the personal impact of the devastation.
“The mayor's car was completely covered by water. The roofing went, so I fully grasp the suffering that people are experiencing, but what is a key focus for me now is to concentrate on securing aid relief for the most at-risk at this point,” he explains.
The mayor estimates that it will take millions of local currency to rebuild Black River after the hurricane's annihilation. At present, he states, the priority is removing debris from impassable roads, which have cut off the town.
“We are now trying to get the main roads and secondary routes here so that we can deliver relief supplies in. The majority of our stores, if not all, were severely affected so they won’t be able to provide supplies to persons who are in dire straits at this moment,” he says.
The prime minister has witnessed the damage first-hand, with an flyover of the area showing 80 to 90% of buildings in the area had been lost.
“It is going to be a massive task to restore this historic town. But although it is damaged, we can vision a future of it rising stronger and improved,” he informed reporters.
“We will get it done. So maintain the positive outlook, keep hope alive, and we will get through this, and we will rebuild better,” he said.
