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This mayor of Black River – an area described as “the epicenter” for the devastating storm – has shared the immense flooding and widespread devastation caused by the disaster.

Reflecting on the traumatic experience, the mayor described enduring the intense storm at an emergency response center.

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

Several people from the town are reported dead, but the mayor mentioned hearing reports of additional fatalities that are still being verified due to connectivity and transportation challenges.

“Storm Melissa came around eight in the morning and lasted for around several hours, during which we were battered with strong gusts and a lot of rain,” he explained.

“We experienced up to 16ft of water 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 upper level, and I tell you, when we saw the water rising, it was a scary experience for us.”

The mayor stated that the town, situated in the hard-hit south-western region of St Elizabeth, is lacking running water and power, and the majority of structures have lost their roofs. One official previously characterized the town as flooded, with more than half a million residents without power. A landslide has obstructed the main roads of Santa Cruz, where roadways have been turned to mud pits. Residents are now removing water from their homes and trying to salvage their belongings.

Rescue efforts and damage assessments have become almost impossible because all the town’s transport and critical services such as firefighting, police, medical centers and supermarkets were “severely damaged,” says the mayor.

He is now focused on working to help the most vulnerable, while also coping with the personal impact of the devastation.

“The mayor's car was totally covered by water. My roof was lost, so I do understand the pain that people are experiencing, but what is a priority for me now is to concentrate on securing assistance for the most vulnerable at this point,” he explains.

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

“We are now trying to get the main roads and secondary routes here so that we can get aid in. Most of our stores, if not all, were severely affected so they won’t be able to offer goods to persons who are in dire straits at this moment,” he says.

National leadership has witnessed the damage personally, with an flyover of the region revealing the vast majority of roofs in the area had been destroyed.

“This will be a enormous undertaking to restore this historic town. But while it is destroyed, we can envision a future of it rising more resilient and improved,” he told local media.

“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 affirmed.