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The local leader of Black River – an area described as “the epicenter” for the devastating storm – has detailed the monstrous storm surges and extensive destruction wrought by the catastrophe.

Reflecting on the traumatic ordeal, Richard Solomon described riding out the Category 5 hurricane at an emergency operating centre.

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

Several people from Black River are confirmed dead, but the mayor mentioned receiving word of additional fatalities that are still being verified due to communication and travel difficulties.

“Storm Melissa came around 8 a.m. and lasted for around nine hours, during which we were battered with strong gusts and a lot of rain,” he added.

“We experienced up to 4.8 metres of flooding at the response center. It was a bit scary 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 terrifying moment for us.”

The mayor explained that the town, situated in the hard-hit south-western parish of the area, is without water and power, and the majority of buildings have lost their roofs. An authority earlier characterized the town as flooded, with more than 500,000 inhabitants lacking electricity. A landslide has blocked the primary routes of Santa Cruz, where streets have been turned to mud pits. Locals are now removing water from their homes and attempting to rescue their possessions.

Search and rescue operations and evaluations have proven almost impossible because all the town’s transport and critical services such as fire, law enforcement, medical centers and grocery stores were “severely damaged,” notes the mayor.

The mayor is now concentrating on working to assist the neediest residents, while also dealing with the individual toll of the disaster.

“The mayor's car was completely covered by water. My roof went, so I do understand the suffering that persons are feeling, but what is a priority for me now is to focus on securing assistance for the most at-risk at this time,” he explains.

The mayor estimates that it will take billions of local currency to restore Black River after the hurricane's destruction. At present, he states, the priority is removing debris from impassable roads, which have isolated the town.

“Efforts are underway to clear the major thoroughfares and secondary routes here so that we can get aid in. The majority of our supermarkets, if not all, were severely affected so they won’t be able to provide supplies to persons who are in need at this time,” he says.

The prime minister has seen the damage first-hand, with an aerial tour of the region revealing 80 to 90% of buildings in the area had been destroyed.

“It is going to be a massive task to restore Black River. But while it is damaged, we can vision a future of it rising more resilient and better,” he told reporters.

“It will be accomplished. So keep the optimism, remain hopeful, and we will overcome this challenge, and we will rebuild better,” he said.