General Discussion

But rainfall often is accompanied by heavy surf, and some of the population set up camp on any flat ground available--and that included beaches.

Storm drains (to the extent they existed, if at all) are gone or buried and any low lying area will be flooded in heavy rain. A flat patch in a low area is just as amenable to setting up camp but not a good choice (in hindsight) when the rainy season hits. And the rainy season starts in October and builds for a while--it's why shepherds would be cray-cray to be staying with their sheep out to pasture in November, much less December. (Ahem.)