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The local leader of the town of Black River – a community described as “the epicenter” for the devastating storm – has shared the immense storm surges and widespread devastation wrought by the disaster.

Speaking on the harrowing ordeal, the mayor recalled enduring the intense storm at an emergency response center.

“Our community of this area is devastated,” he stated. “And that devastation is so severe that the prime minister classified this area as the worst-hit zone.”

Five individuals from the town are reported dead, but the mayor mentioned receiving word of other deaths that remain unconfirmed due to communication and travel difficulties.

“Storm Melissa arrived around eight in the morning and continued for around nine hours, during which we were battered with heavy winds and a lot of rain,” he explained.

“We got up to 16ft of water at the response center. That was a frightening moment for us, and we were praying that it would not rise any more, because we were on the upper level, and I tell you, when we saw the water climbing, it was a scary experience for us.”

The mayor stated that Black River, located in the hard-hit southwest parish of St Elizabeth, is lacking running water and electricity, and most buildings have had their roofs. An authority earlier described the town as flooded, with more than 500,000 residents lacking electricity. A mudslide has blocked the main roads of Santa Cruz, where roadways have been reduced to mud pits. Residents are now removing water from their houses and trying to salvage their possessions.

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

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

“My vehicle was totally covered by water. The roofing went, so I fully grasp the pain that persons are feeling, but what is a key focus for me now is to focus on securing aid relief for the most vulnerable at this time,” he explains.

The mayor believes that it will take billions of local currency to restore Black River after Melissa’s annihilation. For now, he says, the main goal is removing debris from impassable roads, which have isolated the town.

“Efforts are underway to get the major thoroughfares and critical lateral roads here so that we can deliver aid in. The majority of our stores, if not all, were severely affected so they won’t be able to offer goods to individuals who are in dire straits at this time,” he adds.

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

“This will be a enormous undertaking to restore Black River. But although it is destroyed, we can envision a future of it rising stronger and better,” 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 affirmed.