Recent intense rains caused widespread impacts across the islands due to erosion, runoff, and blocked culverts and drains.

Those who experienced damage should be aware that there’s more heavy rain in the forecast starting later Tuesday through Friday. It is almost impossible to forecast the sort of high-intensity rainfall that we saw a few days ago but it certainly isn’t out of the question that the islands will see similar flooding.

There’s not always a lot to be done in the moment to prevent flooding, but some things to keep in mind:

1. Keep a close eye on culverts and drains, and try to keep them open if it is safe to do so.

2. If you live or work in a flood-prone location, sandbags or other barriers might be good to have on hand to divert flow.

3. While geared towards hurricane flood recovery, this document from FEMA has some useful info about how to clean and rebuild buildings impacted by floods.