🔗 Share this article

This mayor of the town of Black River – a community referred to as “ground zero” for the devastating storm – has detailed the monstrous storm surges and extensive destruction caused by the disaster.

Speaking on the harrowing experience, Richard Solomon described riding out the Category 5 storm at an emergency operating centre.

“Our community of this area is devastated,” he said. “And that devastation is so severe that the prime minister classified this area as ground zero.”

Several people from Black River are confirmed dead, but Solomon mentioned receiving word of additional deaths that remain unconfirmed due to connectivity and travel challenges.

“The hurricane came around 8 a.m. and continued for around several hours, during which we were pounded with strong gusts and torrential rainfall,” 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 frankly, when we saw the water climbing, it was a terrifying moment for us.”

Solomon stated that the town, situated in the severely affected south-western parish of the area, is without water and electricity, and most structures have had their roofs. An authority previously described the town as flooded, with over 500,000 residents lacking electricity. A landslide has obstructed the primary routes of a nearby area, where roadways have been reduced to muddy tracks. Locals are now sweeping water from their houses and trying to rescue their possessions.

Rescue efforts and evaluations have become almost impossible because all the town’s vehicles and essential facilities such as firefighting, law enforcement, hospitals and grocery stores were “severely damaged,” says Solomon.

He is now concentrating on working to assist the most vulnerable, while also coping with the individual toll of the disaster.

“My vehicle was completely covered by water. The roofing was lost, so I fully grasp the pain that persons are feeling, but what is a key focus for me now is to concentrate on securing aid relief for the most at-risk at this point,” he explains.

Solomon believes that it will take millions of Jamaican dollars to restore the community after the hurricane's annihilation. At present, he states, the main goal is clearing blocked routes, which have isolated the town.

“Efforts are underway to clear the main roads and secondary routes here so that we can get relief supplies in. Most of our supermarkets, if not all, were impacted negatively so they will be unable to provide supplies to individuals who are in dire straits at this moment,” he adds.

The prime minister has witnessed the devastation personally, with an aerial tour of the region showing 80 to 90% of buildings in the area had been destroyed.

“This will be a massive task to restore this historic town. But while it is damaged, we can vision a future of it emerging more resilient and improved,” he informed reporters.

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