A few days ago, Mother Nature caught many of us off guard.

On Wednesday, a wickedly windy thunderstorm swept through the area, tossing trash cans, lawn furniture and other items about as if they weighed nothing. Numerous trees and branches fell in the western part of Belmont County, blocking some streets and roads for a while.

In other parts of the region, the heavy rain — at least 1.5 inches in about an hour — caused flash flooding. Parts of Moundsville and Wheeling, especially, quickly found themselves under water.

Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

It has been more than 30 years since a sudden June storm dumped several inches of rain on the already saturated ground of Belmont County, causing a “wall of water” to plow down Pipe and Wegee creeks. That flooding in 1990 in the Shadyside area was much more serious — it claimed 26 lives and destroyed homes, private property, infrastructure and many vehicles.

We learned a number of lessons from that terrible tragedy. Local leaders worked to ensure debris was cleaned from stream beds so they would be less likely to flood. They also sought and received more funding for emergency management and response. Today, our fire and EMS departments and the county emergency management agency are much better equipped and trained to deal with such a nightmare scenario.

We must not forget what happened that day, June 14, 1990. And we must make sure that we apply the lessons learned that day to keep ourselves and future generations safe.

One of those lessons for individuals is to always be prepared. You never know when unexpected severe weather may strike. Be ready for it in advance by having an emergency kit on hand and being alert to changing conditions.

Designate a meeting place for your family and have an evacuation plan in mind. Don’t take chances on flooded roadways. Be ready, and be smart.