Mayor Guiding Rebuilding Efforts at Storm Melissa's Ground Zero
The mayor of the town of Black River – a community referred to as “ground zero” for the devastating storm – has detailed the monstrous flooding and extensive devastation caused by the disaster.
Reflecting on the traumatic ordeal, Richard Solomon recalled riding out the intense hurricane at an emergency response center.
“Our community of Black River is in ruins,” he said. “The destruction is so severe that the prime minister classified this area as ground zero.”
Five individuals from Black River are confirmed to have died, but Solomon mentioned hearing reports of other fatalities that are still being verified due to communication and transportation challenges.
“The hurricane arrived around eight in the morning and lasted for around nine hours, during which we were battered with strong gusts and torrential rainfall,” he explained.
“We got up to 16ft of water at the emergency operating centre. That was a bit scary for us, and we were praying 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 scary experience for us.”
The mayor explained that Black River, located in the severely affected south-western region of the area, is lacking running water and electricity, and most structures have lost their roofs. An authority previously described the town as under water, with over half a million residents lacking electricity. A mudslide has obstructed the primary routes of Santa Cruz, where streets have been reduced to muddy tracks. Locals are now removing water from their homes and attempting to salvage their belongings.
Rescue efforts and damage assessments have proven extremely difficult because every one of the town’s transport and critical services such as fire, law enforcement, medical centers and supermarkets were “severely damaged,” says Solomon.
He is now concentrating on trying to assist the most vulnerable, while also coping with the personal impact of the disaster.
“My vehicle was completely submerged by water. The roofing went, so I fully grasp the pain that persons are feeling, but what is a priority for me now is to focus on securing assistance for the most vulnerable at this time,” he says.
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 blocked routes, which have isolated the town.
“We are now trying to clear the major thoroughfares and critical lateral roads here so that we can get relief supplies in. Most of our supermarkets, if not all, were impacted negatively so they will be unable to offer goods to persons who are in need at this time,” he adds.
National leadership has seen the devastation personally, with an flyover of the region revealing the vast majority of buildings in the area had been destroyed.
“This will be a massive undertaking to rebuild this historic town. But while it is damaged, we can envision a tomorrow of it emerging more resilient and improved,” he informed reporters.
“We will get it done. So keep the optimism, remain hopeful, and we will overcome this challenge, and we will reconstruct stronger,” he affirmed.
