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This mayor of Black River – an area referred to as “the epicenter” for the devastating storm – has shared the monstrous storm surges and widespread devastation caused by the catastrophe.

Reflecting on the harrowing ordeal, the mayor recalled riding out the Category 5 hurricane at an emergency operating centre.

“The entire town of Black River is devastated,” he stated. “And that devastation is so catastrophic that the prime minister designated this area as ground zero.”

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

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

“We experienced up to 16ft of flooding at the response center. That was a frightening moment for us, and we were praying that it would not increase any more, because we were on the second floor, and I tell you, when we saw the water rising, it was a scary moment for us.”

Solomon stated that Black River, situated in the severely affected southwest parish of the area, is without water and power, and the majority of structures have had their roofs. One official earlier described the town as under water, with over half a million residents without power. A mudslide has obstructed the primary routes of Santa Cruz, where roadways have been turned to mud pits. Residents are now removing water from their homes and trying to rescue their belongings.

Search and rescue operations and damage assessments have become almost impossible because every one of the town’s transport and essential facilities such as firefighting, law enforcement, medical centers and grocery stores were “immensely damaged,” notes the mayor.

He is now concentrating on trying to help the neediest residents, while also dealing with the personal impact of the disaster.

“The mayor's car was totally submerged by water. The roofing was lost, so I fully grasp the pain that people are experiencing, but what is a key focus for me now is to concentrate on getting aid relief for the most at-risk at this time,” he says.

The mayor believes that it will take billions of Jamaican dollars to rebuild Black River after the hurricane's annihilation. At present, he says, the priority is removing debris from blocked routes, which have cut off the town.

“Efforts are underway to clear the main roads and secondary routes here so that we can deliver relief supplies in. Most of our supermarkets, if not all, were impacted negatively so they will be unable to offer goods to individuals who are in need at this time,” he says.

The prime minister has witnessed the damage first-hand, with an flyover of the region showing 80 to 90% of roofs in the area had been lost.

“This will be a enormous task to restore Black River. But although it is damaged, we can envision a tomorrow of it emerging more resilient and improved,” he told local media.

“We will get it done. So maintain the positive outlook, keep hope alive, and we will overcome this challenge, and we will rebuild better,” he said.