Halloween morning arrived this Thursday with a heavy rain warning and a flood watch in effect for all of Puerto Rico.
In response to the heavy downpours, the municipality of San Juan announced, through its Facebook page, the closure of several roads due to flooding, in order to keep residents safe.
It also announced that the Municipal Police are managing traffic on streets and avenues. The municipality urged people not to cross flooded streets.
The National Weather Service (NWS) posted a flood advisory this morning on X for several towns in the metropolitan area, including San Juan. The alert is currently in effect until 8:45 a.m. tomorrow, Friday, Nov. 1.
"The municipality of San Juan has zones and barrios where 80% of the areas are flood-prone. The option is to close them as the water level rises, especially in areas near stops 26 (Santurce) and 27 (Hato Rey)," San Juan Mayor Miguel Romero explained in an interview with Platea.
— NWS San Juan (@NWSSanJuan) October 31, 2024
These are the closed areas in San Juan you should avoid due to flooding:
The entrance to Parque Central de San Juan and the service road in front of the Centro Pesquero de San Juan Unidad Marítima
Avenida Muñoz Rivera heading from Hato Rey to San Juan, under the expressway bridge toward the Minillas tunnel
San Juan Park, calle Los Ángeles
Boulevard Buenos Aires – YMCA
Avenida Rexach
Calle Nin
Calle Williams
Calle Caracas
Calle Buenos Aires
Meanwhile, the capital city's X account announced that the Unidad de Control de Inundaciones was on Baldorioty De Castro to address the flooding.
It was also reported that the Brigada de Impacto y Control de Inundaciones was working in the barriada Figueroa following the reported rainfall.
— San Juan, Ciudad Capital (@SJCiudadCapital) October 31, 2024
Short- and long-term solutions
As climate change brings more rainfall, the municipality is putting measures in place aimed at solving the flooding problem over the long term.
"We have acquired mitigation equipment to inspect stormwater channels and drains over the long term," the mayor said. According to Romero, under his administration the Oficina de Cumplimiento y Planificación Ambiental, which is responsible for monitoring budgets for the management of environmental situations, has more than 40% more resources related to stormwater pipes and their discharge.
Romero also mentioned that projects are underway through the Departamento de Recursos Naturales related to the discharge of water collected by three pumping stations in San Juan.
This content was translated with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
