🔗 Share this article

This mayor of Black River – an area described as “the epicenter” for the devastating storm – has detailed the immense storm surges and widespread devastation caused by the catastrophe.

Speaking on the traumatic experience, Richard Solomon described riding out the Category 5 storm at an emergency response center.

“The entire town of this area is devastated,” he stated. “And that devastation is so severe that the national leader classified this area as ground zero.”

Five individuals from the town are confirmed to have died, but the mayor mentioned receiving word of other deaths that are still being verified due to connectivity and travel difficulties.

“The hurricane arrived around 8 a.m. and lasted for around nine hours, during which we were pounded with strong gusts and a lot of rain,” he explained.

“We experienced up to 16ft of flooding at the emergency operating centre. It was a frightening moment for us, and we were hoping that it would not increase any further, because we were on the upper level, and I tell you, when we saw the water climbing, it was a terrifying experience for us.”

The mayor explained that Black River, located in the hard-hit southwest parish of the area, is without water and power, and the majority of structures have had their roofs. One official previously described the town as flooded, with over half a million inhabitants lacking electricity. A landslide has blocked the primary routes of Santa Cruz, where roadways have been turned to mud pits. Residents are now removing water from their homes and attempting to salvage their possessions.

Rescue efforts and damage assessments have become almost impossible because every one of the town’s transport and critical services such as fire, law enforcement, medical centers and grocery stores were “immensely damaged,” says Solomon.

The mayor is now concentrating on trying to help the most vulnerable, while also coping with the individual toll of the devastation.

“My vehicle was completely submerged by water. My roof was lost, so I do understand the pain that people are feeling, but what is a key focus for me now is to concentrate on securing assistance for the most at-risk at this point,” he explains.

Solomon estimates that it will take billions of Jamaican dollars to rebuild Black River after the hurricane's destruction. At present, he states, the priority is clearing blocked routes, which have cut off the town.

“Efforts are underway to get the major thoroughfares and critical lateral roads here so that we can deliver relief supplies in. The majority of our supermarkets, if not all, were impacted negatively so they will be unable to provide supplies to individuals who are in need at this moment,” he adds.

National leadership has witnessed the damage personally, with an flyover of the region revealing the vast majority of roofs in the area had been lost.

“This will be a enormous undertaking to rebuild this historic town. But while it is destroyed, we can vision a future of it emerging stronger and better,” he told reporters.

“We will get it done. So maintain the positive outlook, remain hopeful, and we will get through this, and we will rebuild better,” he affirmed.