Hurricane Melissa made landfall in southwest Jamaica this week near the coastal town of Black River, which the government has described as “ground zero.”

Black River, Jamaica was completely destroyed by Hurricane Melissa. Residents say aid still has not arrived in the town, and they are in desperate need of food and water. NBC News’ George Solis reports.

Images from a helicopter over Black River, a coastal town of 5,000 in southwestern Jamaica, show the extent of the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa.

A centuries-old port town was left “devastated” by Hurricane Melissa after a 16ft storm surge hit Black River, satellite images reveal.

At least two people in the town died, and its historical buildings were reduced to rubble. Black River on Wednesday was unrecognizable to people there: The coastline was strewed with massive boulders, and a cellphone tower had twisted into a semicircle.

It’s been nearly a week since Hurricane Melissa made its first catastrophic landfall in Jamaica, and the death toll is continuing to rise.

CNN’s Derek Van Dam reports from Black River, Jamaica, where Hurricane Melissa made landfall, decimating the town.

At least 60 people have been killed, and several communities in Jamaica were completely flattened, according to officials.

Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica’s southwestern coast as a catastrophic Category 5 storm with 185 mph winds, causing widespread destruction. Videos show severe damage in St. Elizabeth Parish, including a roof collapse at Black River Hospital.

Once described as a tropical paradise, the coastal town of Black River, Jamaica, is now being compared to “hell on Earth” after being ravaged by Hurricane Melissa.