Mayor Guiding Recovery Efforts at Hurricane Melissa's Ground Zero
This local leader of Black River – a community described as “ground zero” for Hurricane Melissa – has shared the monstrous storm surges and widespread devastation caused by the catastrophe.
Speaking on the harrowing experience, Richard Solomon described riding out the intense storm at an emergency operating centre.
“Our community of Black River is in ruins,” he said. “And that devastation is so severe that the prime minister classified this area as the worst-hit zone.”
Several people from Black River are confirmed to have died, but Solomon mentioned receiving word of additional fatalities that remain unconfirmed due to connectivity and transportation challenges.
“The hurricane arrived around 8 a.m. and lasted for around several 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. That 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 frankly, when we saw the water rising, it was a terrifying moment for us.”
The mayor stated that Black River, located in the hard-hit southwest parish of the area, is without water and power, and most buildings have had their roofing. One official earlier described the town as under water, with more than half a million inhabitants lacking electricity. A landslide has blocked the main roads of Santa Cruz, where streets have been reduced to mud pits. Locals are now removing water from their houses and attempting to rescue their belongings.
Rescue efforts and evaluations have proven almost impossible because all the town’s vehicles and critical services such as fire, police, medical centers and grocery stores were “immensely damaged,” notes Solomon.
The mayor is now concentrating on working to help the neediest residents, while also dealing with the personal impact of the devastation.
“My vehicle was completely covered by water. My roof went, so I fully grasp the pain that persons are feeling, but what is a key focus for me now is to focus on getting aid relief for the most vulnerable at this point,” he says.
Solomon believes that it will take billions of local currency to rebuild Black River after Melissa’s annihilation. For now, he says, the main goal is clearing blocked routes, which have cut off the town.
“We are now trying to clear the major thoroughfares and secondary routes here so that we can get aid in. Most of our supermarkets, if not all, were severely affected so they will be unable to provide supplies to persons who are in dire straits at this time,” he says.
National leadership has witnessed the damage first-hand, with an flyover of the area showing 80 to 90% of buildings in the area had been destroyed.
“It is going to be a massive undertaking to restore Black River. But while it is damaged, we can vision a tomorrow of it emerging more resilient and improved,” he informed local media.
“It will be accomplished. So maintain the positive outlook, keep hope alive, and we will get through this, and we will reconstruct stronger,” he said.
