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This mayor of Black River – an area described as “the epicenter” for the devastating storm – has detailed the monstrous flooding and extensive devastation caused by the disaster.

Speaking on the traumatic experience, the mayor described riding out the Category 5 storm at an emergency response center.

“Our community of Black River is devastated,” he stated. “And that devastation is so catastrophic that the prime minister designated this area as the worst-hit zone.”

Several people from the town are confirmed to have died, but the mayor mentioned receiving word of additional fatalities that remain unconfirmed due to connectivity and transportation difficulties.

“Storm Melissa arrived around 8 a.m. and continued for around nine hours, during which we were pounded with strong gusts and a lot of rain,” he added.

“We got up to 4.8 metres of flooding at the response center. That was a frightening moment for us, and we were hoping that it would not increase any further, because we were on the second floor, and I tell you, when we saw the water climbing, it was a terrifying experience for us.”

The mayor explained that Black River, situated in the severely affected south-western parish of the area, is without water and power, and the majority of buildings have had their roofing. One official earlier characterized the town as under water, with over half a million inhabitants lacking electricity. A mudslide has obstructed the main roads of a nearby area, where streets have been turned to mud pits. Locals are now removing water from their houses and trying to rescue their belongings.

Search and rescue operations and evaluations have proven almost impossible because every one of the town’s transport and critical services such as fire, police, medical centers and supermarkets were “severely damaged,” notes the mayor.

He is now concentrating on working to help the neediest residents, while also dealing with the individual toll of the disaster.

“My vehicle was completely covered by water. My roof was lost, so I do understand the pain that people are experiencing, but what is a priority for me now is to concentrate on getting aid relief for the most at-risk at this time,” he says.

The mayor believes that it will take billions of local currency to rebuild Black River after the hurricane's destruction. At present, he says, the priority is clearing impassable roads, which have isolated the town.

“We are now trying to get the main roads and secondary routes 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 time,” he says.

The prime minister has witnessed 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 enormous undertaking to rebuild Black River. But although it is destroyed, we can envision a future of it rising more resilient and improved,” he told reporters.

“It will be accomplished. So keep the positive outlook, remain hopeful, and we will get through this, and we will rebuild better,” he said.