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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 extensive devastation wrought by the disaster.

Speaking on the harrowing ordeal, Richard Solomon described enduring the intense storm at an emergency operating centre.

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

Several people from Black River are reported to have died, but Solomon noted hearing reports of additional deaths that remain unconfirmed due to communication and transportation difficulties.

“The hurricane arrived around 8 a.m. and lasted for around nine hours, during which we were pounded with strong gusts 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 hoping that it would not increase any more, because we were on the second floor, and frankly, when we saw the water climbing, it was a scary experience for us.”

Solomon explained that the town, situated in the severely affected south-western region of St Elizabeth, is lacking running water and power, and the majority of buildings have had their roofing. An authority previously described the town as under water, with over 500,000 inhabitants without power. A landslide has obstructed the primary routes of a nearby area, where roadways have been turned to muddy tracks. Residents are now removing water from their homes and trying to salvage their possessions.

Search and rescue operations and damage assessments have proven almost impossible because all the town’s transport and critical services such as firefighting, police, medical centers and grocery stores were “severely damaged,” says the mayor.

He is now concentrating on trying to help the most vulnerable, while also dealing with the individual toll of the devastation.

“My vehicle was totally submerged by water. My roof was lost, so I fully grasp the suffering that people are feeling, but what is a priority for me now is to focus on getting assistance for the most vulnerable at this point,” he explains.

Solomon estimates that it will take millions of local currency to restore the community after the hurricane's destruction. At present, he states, the main goal is removing debris from blocked routes, which have cut off the town.

“Efforts are underway to get the main roads and critical lateral roads here so that we can deliver relief supplies in. Most of our supermarkets, if not all, were severely affected so they won’t be able to provide supplies to persons who are in need at this moment,” he adds.

The prime minister has witnessed the damage first-hand, with an aerial tour of the region revealing the vast majority of buildings in the area had been destroyed.

“This will be a massive task to rebuild this historic town. But while it is damaged, we can vision a tomorrow 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.