🔗 Share this article

The local leader of the town of Black River – an area described as “ground zero” for the devastating storm – has shared the monstrous flooding and extensive destruction wrought by the catastrophe.

Reflecting on the traumatic ordeal, Richard Solomon described enduring the Category 5 storm at an emergency response center.

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

Several people from Black River are reported dead, but Solomon noted hearing reports of additional deaths that are still being verified due to communication and travel difficulties.

“The hurricane arrived around 8 a.m. and continued for around several hours, during which we were battered with heavy winds and a lot of rain,” he added.

“We got up to 4.8 metres 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 rising, it was a terrifying experience for us.”

The mayor explained that Black River, located in the severely affected south-western parish of the area, is lacking running water and electricity, and the majority of structures have had their roofing. An authority previously described the town as flooded, with over half a million inhabitants without power. A mudslide has obstructed the main roads of a nearby area, where streets have been reduced to muddy tracks. Residents are now sweeping water from their homes and attempting to rescue their possessions.

Search and rescue operations and damage assessments have proven almost impossible because all the town’s vehicles and essential facilities such as fire, law enforcement, hospitals and grocery stores were “immensely damaged,” says Solomon.

He is now concentrating on trying to help the most vulnerable, while also dealing with the individual toll of the disaster.

“The mayor's car was completely submerged by water. My roof was lost, so I do understand the suffering that people are feeling, but what is a priority for me now is to concentrate on getting assistance for the most vulnerable at this point,” he says.

Solomon believes that it will take billions of Jamaican dollars to rebuild Black River after the hurricane's annihilation. At present, he says, the main goal is removing debris from impassable roads, which have isolated the town.

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

National leadership has seen the devastation first-hand, with an aerial tour of the region revealing 80 to 90% of roofs in the area had been destroyed.

“This will be a massive undertaking to rebuild Black River. But while it is damaged, we can envision a tomorrow of it emerging stronger and improved,” he informed local media.

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