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This local leader of the town of Black River – a community described as “the epicenter” for the devastating storm – has shared the monstrous flooding and widespread destruction caused by the disaster.

Speaking on the traumatic ordeal, the mayor described riding out the Category 5 storm at an emergency operating centre.

“The entire town of this area is devastated,” he stated. “The destruction is so catastrophic that the prime minister designated this area as the worst-hit zone.”

Five individuals from Black River are confirmed to have died, but the mayor noted hearing reports of additional fatalities that remain unconfirmed due to communication and transportation challenges.

“The hurricane arrived around eight in the morning and continued for around several hours, during which we were battered with heavy winds and torrential rainfall,” he explained.

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

Solomon explained that the town, situated in the hard-hit south-western region of the area, is without water and power, and most buildings have had their roofs. One official previously characterized the town as under water, with over half a million inhabitants lacking electricity. A mudslide has blocked the primary routes of a nearby area, where roadways have been turned to muddy tracks. Residents are now removing water from their homes and attempting to rescue their belongings.

Rescue efforts and damage assessments have proven almost impossible because all the town’s transport and essential facilities such as fire, law enforcement, hospitals and supermarkets were “immensely damaged,” says the mayor.

The mayor is now concentrating on working to assist the most vulnerable, while also dealing with the personal impact of the devastation.

“The mayor's car was totally covered by water. My roof was lost, so I do understand 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 billions of local currency to restore the community after Melissa’s destruction. For now, he states, the priority is clearing impassable roads, which have isolated the town.

“We are now trying to clear the main roads and critical lateral roads here so that we can deliver aid in. The majority of our supermarkets, if not all, were impacted negatively so they won’t be able to offer goods to individuals who are in dire straits at this moment,” he adds.

National leadership has witnessed the devastation first-hand, with an aerial tour of the region showing the vast majority of roofs in the area had been destroyed.

“This will be a enormous task to rebuild this historic town. But while it is destroyed, we can vision a future of it emerging more resilient and improved,” he told reporters.

“It will be accomplished. So keep the optimism, keep hope alive, and we will overcome this challenge, and we will reconstruct stronger,” he said.