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This mayor of the town of Black River – an area referred to as “the epicenter” for Hurricane Melissa – has shared the monstrous flooding and widespread devastation caused by the catastrophe.

Speaking on the harrowing experience, the mayor described riding out the intense hurricane at an emergency operating centre.

“The entire town of Black River is devastated,” he stated. “And that devastation is so severe that the prime minister designated this area as ground zero.”

Five individuals from Black River are confirmed to have died, but the mayor noted hearing reports of other deaths that are still being verified due to connectivity and travel difficulties.

“Storm Melissa came around 8 a.m. and lasted for around nine hours, during which we were pounded with heavy winds and torrential rainfall,” he explained.

“We got up to 16ft of water at the response center. It was a bit scary for us, and we were hoping that it would not increase any more, because we were on the upper level, and frankly, when we saw the water rising, it was a scary experience for us.”

The mayor explained that Black River, located in the severely affected south-western region of the area, is without water and power, and the majority of buildings have had their roofs. An authority previously characterized the town as under water, with over half a million inhabitants lacking electricity. A landslide has blocked the primary routes of a nearby area, where streets have been turned to muddy tracks. Locals are now removing water from their houses and trying to salvage their belongings.

Search and rescue operations and damage assessments have become extremely difficult because all the town’s vehicles and critical services such as firefighting, law enforcement, medical centers and grocery stores were “immensely damaged,” notes the mayor.

The mayor is now focused on trying to help the neediest residents, while also dealing with the personal impact of the devastation.

“My vehicle was completely covered by water. The roofing went, so I fully grasp the pain that persons are feeling, but what is a priority for me now is to concentrate on securing assistance 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. For now, he states, the main goal is clearing blocked routes, which have isolated the town.

“Efforts are underway to get the main roads and critical lateral roads here so that we can deliver relief supplies in. Most of our supermarkets, if not all, were impacted negatively so they will be unable to offer goods to persons who are in need at this time,” he adds.

The prime minister has witnessed the devastation first-hand, with an aerial tour of the area showing 80 to 90% of roofs in the area had been lost.

“It is going to be a massive task to rebuild Black River. But while it is damaged, we can envision a tomorrow of it emerging stronger and improved,” he told reporters.

“We will get it done. So keep the positive outlook, keep hope alive, and we will get through this, and we will rebuild better,” he said.