The Dialogue: What Readers Had to Say About Flooding in Laurelhurst After Last Week’s Thunderstorm

Last week on wweek.com, WW wrote about flooding in Portland's Laurelhurst and Kerns neighborhoods during a sudden and heavy Sept. 12 thunderstorm. After a summer of record heat and smoke, the first big rainstorm of the season overwhelmed ill-maintained storm drains. Intersections were flooded thigh-deep with water, and video shows cars driving through small ponds. Here's how readers weighed in.

Bennett Auburn, via Facebook: "From North Carolina: I'm so sorry y'all had to cope with that inconvenience."

Marcia Kudella Westlund, via Facebook: "In old Portland, people who lived on corners made sure the drains were cleared before the fall rains."

Jack Bridges, via Facebook: "You think neighborhood folks have the tools and knowledge required to clean out storm drains?"

xOmegaraptor, via Reddit: "Portland gets a downpour while Tigard/Beaverton gets almost nothing. Gotta love microclimates."

Craig Goldensoph, via Facebook: "Damn millennials."

Brentwood_Bro, via Reddit: "Knocked a couple branches down on my ganja trees…that rain was brutal."

Brian Allen Martinez, via Twitter: "The area is a flood plain since it's nestled between two rivers. Makes you realize the real estate values aren't really based on anything real; they're just speculative."

KablooieKablam, via Reddit: "Pro tip: Don't fucking drive through water like the people in the video."

Emilie Elisabeth, via Facebook: "Time to clean the storm drains, newbs."

Aggieotis, via Reddit: "To those who have never had the pure joy of unclogging a street drain, I highly recommend you give it a try. The sound of all that water disappearing due to your hard work is a sincere pleasure."

Michael Moreau, via Facebook: "Proof them dang sea levels are rising."

Stupid_sexyflanders, via Reddit: "God, those assholes driving through and creating waves while they're trying to clear it out. For God's sake, go around. You'll probably flood your engine while you're at it."

Conner Williams, via Facebook: "It's almost like the city knew there was a big moisture front on the way and could have made sure the storm drain systems were ready to handle it."

Armon Collman, in response: "Cleaning storm grates before storms are easy precautions for residents to help protect neighborhoods. The term 'public servants' is not to be taken literally."