City Leader Leading Recovery Efforts at Hurricane Melissa's Worst-Hit Area
The local leader of Black River – a community described as “ground zero” for Hurricane Melissa – has detailed the immense storm surges and widespread devastation wrought by the catastrophe.
Reflecting on the harrowing experience, the mayor described riding out the Category 5 storm at an emergency response center.
“Our community of Black River is devastated,” he said. “And that devastation is so catastrophic that the prime minister classified this area as ground zero.”
Five individuals from Black River are reported dead, but the mayor mentioned receiving word of additional deaths that are still being verified due to communication and travel challenges.
“The hurricane arrived around eight in the morning and lasted for around several hours, during which we were pounded with heavy winds and torrential rainfall,” he explained.
“We got up to 4.8 metres of water at the response center. That was a bit scary for us, and we were praying that it would not increase any further, because we were on the upper level, and I tell you, when we saw the water rising, it was a terrifying moment for us.”
The mayor explained that the town, located in the hard-hit southwest parish of the area, is without water and power, and the majority of buildings have had their roofs. An authority previously characterized the town as under water, with over half a million 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 sweeping water from their houses and attempting to salvage their belongings.
Rescue efforts and evaluations have become almost impossible because all the town’s vehicles and essential facilities such as fire, police, medical centers and supermarkets were “severely damaged,” says the mayor.
He is now focused on trying to assist the most vulnerable, while also coping with the personal impact of the devastation.
“The mayor's car was totally submerged by water. My roof was lost, so I fully grasp the pain that people are feeling, but what is a key focus for me now is to concentrate on getting aid relief for the most vulnerable at this time,” he says.
The mayor believes that it will take millions of Jamaican dollars to restore the community after Melissa’s destruction. For now, he states, the main goal is removing debris from impassable roads, which have cut off the town.
“Efforts are underway to get the major thoroughfares and secondary routes here so that we can deliver relief supplies in. Most of our stores, if not all, were severely affected so they will be unable to provide supplies to persons who are in dire straits at this moment,” he says.
National leadership has seen the devastation first-hand, with an flyover of the region showing 80 to 90% of roofs in the area had been lost.
“This will be a enormous task to restore this historic town. But although it is damaged, we can vision a tomorrow of it emerging stronger and better,” he informed local media.
“It will be accomplished. So maintain the positive outlook, keep hope alive, and we will get through this, and we will rebuild better,” he affirmed.
