The first September storm seems to have caught the majority unaware yet again, with the country grinding to a standstill following the heavy rainfall yesterday. According to the Met Office, about 42 millimetres of rain fell in less than an hour, which is a considerable amount bearing in mind that this is equivalent to the monthly average. Thousands were caught in traffic jams with trees and other debris scattered all over parts of some arterial roads.

Nevertheless, in this day and age it is inconceivable that people ignore all warnings, thinking they know it all. In Birkirkara, several cars were swept by the waters and damaged beyond repair for the simple reason that their owners decided to leave them parked in this area highly prone to flooding. It is quite baffling how some individuals are either totally oblivious or try to defy nature. Such heavy rainfall could have been easily foreseen following the storm several hours earlier which wreaked havoc across the island, especially in Żurrieq where the street decorations of the feast of St Catherine were extensively damaged.

Experience shows that September and October are always characterised by occasional storms, waterspouts and whirlwinds due to the high temperatures which persist till the start of November. The storm of 25 October, 1979 which had claimed four lives, is still fresh in the memory of those who remember that tragic afternoon.

Despite advances in technology, there are circumstances when we are still at the mercy of nature, as to date nobody has been able to predict the exact time and place where lightning and thunder are going to strike. Our geographical size complicates matters even more resulting in a higher degree of unpredictability. Indeed, even though the storm was forecast several days ago, it was not expected to hit the island before yesterday.

On the other hand, much of the problems we have to face during this time of the year are self-inflicted due to bad planning decisions in bygone years. Unfortunately, now it is too late and authorities can only try to mitigate the situation through flood relief projects. Some years ago the government had announced an ambitious EU-funded project meant to alleviate the situation in the central part of the island. This project has not yet materialised and by the look of it, the government seems to have other priorities right now. On the positive side, the newly-built arterial roads seem to be coping well with the heavy rainfall. Nevertheless, road maintenance to ensure that culverts are clear from the debris accumulated in the summer months is a must.

Now that the island has taken the brunt of the first storm, authorities must step up their efforts to spare car owners from further damage caused by the notorious potholes which increase exponentially after heavy rainfall. Such works should also include the maintenance of the rubble walls in the countryside, which are a humble but crucial means of combating soil erosion devised hundreds of years ago.