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This mayor of the town of Black River – an area described as “the epicenter” for the devastating storm – has shared the immense flooding and widespread destruction caused by the catastrophe.

Speaking on the harrowing experience, Richard Solomon described riding out the intense hurricane at an emergency response center.

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

Five individuals from Black River are reported to have died, but the mayor mentioned hearing reports of additional fatalities that remain unconfirmed due to connectivity and transportation difficulties.

“The hurricane arrived around eight in the morning and lasted for around nine hours, during which we were pounded with strong gusts and a lot of rain,” he added.

“We got up to 4.8 metres of flooding at the response center. That was a frightening moment for us, and we were praying that it would not increase any further, because we were on the upper level, and frankly, when we saw the water rising, it was a terrifying moment for us.”

Solomon explained that the town, situated in the hard-hit southwest region of St Elizabeth, is without running water and electricity, and the majority of structures have lost their roofing. One official previously characterized the town as flooded, with over 500,000 inhabitants without power. A mudslide has obstructed the primary routes of Santa Cruz, where roadways have been reduced to muddy tracks. Residents are now sweeping water from their houses and trying to rescue their belongings.

Rescue efforts and evaluations have proven extremely difficult because all the town’s transport and critical services such as firefighting, law enforcement, medical centers and grocery stores were “immensely damaged,” says the mayor.

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

“The mayor's car was totally submerged by water. The roofing went, so I fully grasp the pain that people are feeling, but what is a priority for me now is to focus on getting assistance for the most vulnerable at this time,” he explains.

Solomon believes that it will take billions of local currency to rebuild the community after the hurricane's destruction. At present, he states, the main goal is clearing impassable roads, which have isolated the town.

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

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

“This will be a enormous task to restore this historic town. But while it is destroyed, we can vision a tomorrow of it rising stronger and better,” he told local media.

“It will be accomplished. So keep the optimism, remain hopeful, and we will overcome this challenge, and we will reconstruct stronger,” he said.