City Leader Guiding Rebuilding Work at Hurricane Melissa's Epicenter
This mayor of Black River – a community referred to as “the epicenter” for the devastating storm – has detailed the immense flooding and extensive devastation caused by the disaster.
Speaking on the traumatic ordeal, Richard Solomon recalled riding out the intense hurricane at an emergency response center.
“Our community of this area is devastated,” he stated. “And that devastation is so catastrophic that the national leader designated this area as ground zero.”
Several people from the town are reported dead, but Solomon mentioned hearing reports of other deaths that are still being verified due to communication and transportation difficulties.
“Storm Melissa arrived around eight in the morning and continued for around several hours, during which we were pounded with strong gusts and a lot of rain,” he explained.
“We got up to 16ft of flooding 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 explained that the town, situated in the severely affected south-western region of the area, is without running water and power, and the majority of structures have lost their roofing. An authority earlier described the town as under water, with over half a million inhabitants lacking electricity. A landslide has blocked the main roads of Santa Cruz, where streets have been reduced to muddy tracks. Residents are now removing water from their houses and attempting to rescue their belongings.
Rescue efforts and evaluations have proven almost impossible because every one of the town’s transport and critical services such as fire, law enforcement, hospitals and supermarkets were “severely damaged,” says Solomon.
He is now concentrating on working to assist the neediest residents, while also dealing with the personal impact of the devastation.
“The mayor's car was completely covered by water. My roof was lost, so I do understand the suffering that people are feeling, but what is a priority for me now is to concentrate on getting aid relief for the most vulnerable at this time,” he says.
Solomon estimates that it will take billions of Jamaican dollars to restore Black River after Melissa’s annihilation. At present, he says, the priority 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 aid in. The majority of our stores, if not all, were severely affected so they will be unable to offer goods to individuals who are in need at this time,” he adds.
The prime minister has witnessed the devastation personally, with an flyover of the area showing the vast majority of roofs in the area had been destroyed.
“This will be a massive undertaking to rebuild this historic town. But although 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 optimism, keep hope alive, and we will overcome this challenge, and we will reconstruct stronger,” he said.
