Mayor Guiding Recovery Work at Hurricane Melissa's Ground Zero
This mayor of the town of Black River – a community described as “the epicenter” for the devastating storm – has detailed the monstrous flooding and extensive destruction caused by the catastrophe.
Reflecting on the harrowing ordeal, the mayor described enduring the Category 5 storm at an emergency operating centre.
“The entire town of this area is devastated,” he said. “The destruction is so severe that the prime minister designated this area as ground zero.”
Five individuals from Black River are reported to have died, but the mayor mentioned receiving word of additional deaths that are still being verified due to communication and transportation challenges.
“Storm Melissa arrived around eight in the morning and lasted for around nine hours, during which we were battered with strong gusts and torrential rainfall,” he added.
“We experienced up to 4.8 metres of water at the emergency operating centre. That was a bit scary for us, and we were hoping that it would not rise any more, because we were on the upper level, and frankly, when we saw the water rising, it was a terrifying experience for us.”
The mayor explained that Black River, situated in the severely affected southwest parish of St Elizabeth, is lacking water and electricity, and most buildings have lost their roofs. An authority earlier described the town as flooded, with over half a million residents lacking electricity. A mudslide has obstructed the primary routes of a nearby area, where streets have been reduced to muddy tracks. Locals are now removing water from their houses and attempting to salvage their belongings.
Rescue efforts and damage assessments have become almost impossible because every one of the town’s vehicles and essential facilities such as fire, law enforcement, hospitals and supermarkets were “immensely damaged,” says the mayor.
The mayor is now focused on working to help the neediest residents, while also dealing with the individual toll of the disaster.
“The mayor's car was totally covered by water. My roof went, so I fully grasp the suffering that persons are feeling, but what is a priority for me now is to concentrate on securing aid relief for the most at-risk at this point,” he says.
The mayor believes that it will take billions of Jamaican dollars to restore the community after Melissa’s annihilation. At present, he states, the priority is removing debris from blocked routes, which have cut off the town.
“Efforts are underway to clear the major thoroughfares and secondary routes 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 provide supplies to individuals who are in dire straits at this moment,” he says.
The prime minister has witnessed the devastation first-hand, with an flyover of the area showing the vast majority of buildings in the area had been destroyed.
“This will be a massive undertaking to rebuild this historic town. But although it is damaged, we can envision a tomorrow of it rising more resilient and better,” he informed reporters.
“It will be accomplished. So maintain the optimism, remain hopeful, and we will overcome this challenge, and we will reconstruct stronger,” he said.
