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This mayor of Black River – a community referred to as “the epicenter” for the devastating storm – has detailed the immense storm surges and widespread devastation wrought by the catastrophe.

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

“The entire town of this area is in ruins,” he said. “The destruction is so severe that the prime minister designated this area as the worst-hit zone.”

Several people from the town are reported to have died, but the mayor mentioned hearing reports of additional deaths that remain unconfirmed due to connectivity and transportation difficulties.

“The hurricane arrived around eight in the morning and continued for around nine hours, during which we were battered with heavy winds and torrential rainfall,” he explained.

“We experienced up to 16ft 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 second floor, 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 without running water and electricity, and the majority of structures have had their roofing. An authority earlier described the town as under water, with over half a million inhabitants without power. A landslide has obstructed the primary routes of a nearby area, where roadways have been reduced to mud pits. Residents are now sweeping water from their houses and attempting to rescue their belongings.

Rescue efforts and damage assessments have proven almost impossible because all the town’s vehicles and critical services such as firefighting, law enforcement, hospitals and grocery stores were “severely damaged,” says Solomon.

He is now focused on trying to assist the most vulnerable, while also coping with the personal impact of the devastation.

“The mayor's car was completely submerged by water. The roofing went, so I fully grasp the suffering that persons are experiencing, but what is a priority for me now is to focus on securing aid relief for the most at-risk at this time,” he says.

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

“We are now trying to clear the main roads and critical lateral roads here so that we can get relief supplies in. Most of our supermarkets, if not all, were severely affected so they won’t be able to offer goods to persons who are in dire straits at this time,” he adds.

National leadership has witnessed the devastation personally, with an flyover of the area showing 80 to 90% of buildings in the area had been destroyed.

“It is going to be a enormous task to rebuild Black River. But although it is destroyed, we can envision a tomorrow of it emerging more resilient and better,” he told local media.

“We will get it done. So maintain the optimism, keep hope alive, and we will overcome this challenge, and we will reconstruct stronger,” he affirmed.