SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) A tropical wave passing over Puerto Rico Thursday caused heavy flooding and damaged infrastructure across the U.S. territory.
Emergency management officials said heavy lightning and rain downed some trees, knocked down several light posts and damaged a balcony in the island's east.
National WeatherService Director Roberto Garcia said a 1950 rainfall record at San Juan's main international airport was broken on Thursday. He said nearly five inches (13 centimeters) of rain have fallen there so far.
Officials also said the weather was temporarily preventing pilots from landing or taking off at the Luis Munoz Marin international airport just outside the capital of San Juan.
Garcia said the tropical wave is expected to next hit Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
Also known as an easterly wave, a tropical wave is a type of atmospheric trough that is a long area of low air pressure that moves east to west across the tropics, causing cloudiness and thunderstorms.
