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Flood Safety Awareness Week 2011

March 14 - 18, 2011 

Current Public Information Statement

Comunicado sobre Información Pública

"The Hydrology of Puerto Rico is unique due to topography.  In the mountains, slopes are steep and the soil is thin.  Very little water infiltrates the soil surface, so runoff quickly turns creeks and streams into raging torrents.  Since Puerto Rico's 70 drainage basins are small, rivers rise quickly downstream and inundate the coastal plains.  In effect, almost all of these floods can be considered flash floods since the crest occurs with 6 hours following the heavy rainfall" - excerpt form the Natural Disaster Survey Report - Puerto Rico Flash Floods January 5-6, 1992