People walk through muddy streets looking for food among the debris. Some are scavenging into wrecked shops hoping to find bottled water or other supplies.

As the death toll rises, residents of Black River continue to search for loved ones and struggle to survive, days after Hurricane Melissa turned this Jamaican port city into the epicenter of the devastation that swept across the Caribbean.

Residents say they have lived in a state of chaos for the past three days, since Melissa hit as one of the most powerful Category 5 storms ever recorded in the region.

Severe winds and storm surge ripped through the area, leaving roads impassable and a trail of destruction that has left them increasingly desperate and isolated, without electricity or running water.

Captured boats lie on sidewalks. Brick buildings are split in half. Huge sheets of twisted metal can be seen among the tree branches, as well as wrecked cars. Residents who spoke to the BBC said that, so far, they have not seen any aid trucks in the area and said they are forced to eat whatever they can find among the rubble along the streets in this city, almost 150 kilometers west of the capital, Kingston. Others entered damaged supermarkets, taking what they could. Some, who climbed onto the roof of a partially destroyed market, threw food and water bottles to the people below, gathered with outstretched arms. “We have to use what we find on the street and also in the supermarket,” explained Demar Walker, sitting in the shade near the looted establishment to escape the 80% heat and humidity. Walker said that he and others had to climb into the market because the roof collapsed, and they took what they could. He said they threw water and supplies to other people in need. “We weren't selfish, we had to give food to others,” he added. Nearby, others told the BBC about the looting of a pharmacy in Black River and described the scene as anarchy: people were going in and out with their arms full of drugs and alcohol. “I saw them carrying out items covered in mud,” Aldwayne Tomlinson told the BBC. “At first I thought the place was still open, but then I looked closer.I heard a woman say, 'I need to go buy some alcohol.' That's when I knew they were looting the pharmacy too,” he recounted. A little further on, a woman standing on a pile of rubble described the situation as total chaos. “There is no food or water,” he said. “We have no money. We need help. No help has arrived,” continued Chegun Braham. A couple told the BBC they owned several shops in the area, some of which had been looted. They are now keeping watch over one of their establishments in the hope of preventing further thefts. “We need food.” A few steps from the market, Jimmy Esson leaned against a huge metal beam that had fallen to the ground. “I lost everything, all my things,” he said. We have no food," he added. Survival is the main concern for most people here. But another worry is the rising death toll. Jamaican officials reported on Thursday that at least 19 people had died in the country, a significant increase from the five reported the previous day. Another 30 people died in neighboring Haiti as a result of the storm. “There are bodies in my community," Walker said. He commented that, like many others in the area, he still hasn't heard from his family and doesn't know if they survived the storm. Walker is trapped in Black River, sleeping in the first house still standing that will take him in, while his eight-year-old son is in Westmoreland, the neighboring region Westmoreland shares Jamaica's west coast, along with Black River in St. Elizabeth Parish, and also suffered severe damage from Melissa. Areas are without electricity or running water. "The entire town of Black River is devastated," declared Major Richard Solomon. The official pointed out to local media the desperation of residents who began looting stores, and while he doesn't condone it, he said he understands the reasons.

“It's a delicate balance,” Solomon commented on the response to the situation.

“Some people are taking advantage of the situation to take what they can (from the stores). However, others are more aggressive and are trying to break into properties to get all kinds of supplies,” he said.

Local authorities estimate that 90% of the houses were destroyed. Much of the city's vital infrastructure was also damaged, including the hospital, police station, and fire station. "There are entire communities that appear to be cut off and areas that have been devastated," said Information Minister Dana Morris Dixon. Aid agencies and the military are transporting urgently needed supplies overland from Kingston, but many roads remain impassable in some sections, including places like Black River.The village is about a two-hour drive from Kingston, but the main road is flooded, damaged, and full of broken-down cars in several places. Michael Tharkurdeen, a local paramedic, was at the village's fire station when the storm hit. "We were upstairs because the entire ground floor was flooded. The water was about 1.2 meters, maybe 1.5 meters. When the water came in, it was like the whole sea came in." “Flooding everything,” he said. "Nobody could be on the ground floor. Believe me, there were waves this high," he added, pointing to his shoulder. Those who managed to reach him from nearby flooded buildings were injured. They had "lacerations on their hands, on their feet. Children, the elderly, everyone," he said. Tharkurdee also found a man dead once the waters receded. "I'm not a doctor, I'm a paramedic, so I couldn't certify his death. All we could do was document it and cover the body," he lamented. By mid-afternoon on Friday, a fleet of military helicopters flew over Black River, raising hopes that they would bring urgently needed supplies to the town. Armed officers with machine guns took to the streets, and the crowds that had been scavenging in the looted pharmacy and supermarket soon dispersed. The line of cars blocking the area's only road was cleared. A relative calm replaced the noise and chaos of hundreds of people struggling to survive. “We want St. “I hope Elizabeth recovers,” Shawn Morris said about the future of the area and his hopes for receiving aid. “It's not about money. We need food and water," he concluded. Click here to read more stories from BBC News Mundo.

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