Tropical Storm Karen (2019)

On September 20, a Tropical Storm Warning was issued for Trinidad and Tobago.[15] However, the warning was discontinued just a few hours later.[16] The entire country was placed under a red alert due to the storm. Regional corporations handed out sandbags in parts of eastern and southern Trinidad.[17] Some sports games were delayed or cancelled due to the storm. Caribbean Airlines cancelled numerous flights in the country.[18] Residents of the country were asked to avoid floodwaters for health and safety reasons.[19]

Heavy rainfall caused flash flooding across Trinidad and Tobago. Severe flooding was reported in southwestern Tobago and Scarborough. In Trinidad, the Sandy River overtopped its bank, causing flooding in Mason Hall. Nearby, a mudslide caused a road to shut down and a house was destroyed. In Plymouth, seven boats sank after Jetty was damaged.[20][21] In Mt. Lambert, fields were inundated by floodwaters.[22] However, most of Trinidad was spared from major damage.[23] Some of the worst impacts in the country were located in Tobago.[24] A road in Tobago was littered with downed trees and utility poles.[25] During the storm, eight boats were destroyed in Roxborough, causing more than $50,000 TTD ($7,400 USD) in damage.[26] The Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) stated that Karen caused $24 million TTD ($3.53 million USD) in damage in Tobago.[27] TEMA also stated that it had received 88 reports of incidents related to Tropical Storm Karen.[28]

Radar of Tropical Storm Karen moving over the islands of Vieques and Culebra between September 24–25

On September 22, Tropical Storm Watches were first issued in Puerto Rico, including the Spanish Virgin Islands, and the US Virgin Islands.[29] These were upgraded into Tropical Storm Warnings by 9:00 UTC on September 23.[30] All were discontinued by 9:00 UTC on September 25.[31] A flash flood warning was issued for large portions of Puerto Rico by the National Weather Service (NWS).[32] Governor Wanda Vázquez declared a state of emergency for Puerto Rico on September 23.[33] Schools and government buildings were shut down with the threat of heavy rainfall and flooding.[34] Across the island, the government opened 67 shelters.[32] In the U.S. Virgin Islands, schools and government buildings were also closed. Ports were shut down while Seaborne Airlines and Sea Flight cancelled flights between St. Croix and St. Thomas. Also on St. Thomas, traffic was closed on part of Veterans Drive between September 24–25.[35] The Virgin Islands Waste Management Authority advised residents and solid waste haulers that Anguilla's landfill on St. Cross was closed due to deteriorating road conditions. The haulers were asked to hold the waste.[36] Search operations for a 48-year old woman from Kentucky who went missing at the Virgin Islands National Park had to be briefly suspended due to the storm.[37]

Karen dropped a peak precipitation amount of 5 inches (127 mm) in Coamo, where a bridge was swept away, isolating 15 families.[38][39] Numerous roads across the island were flooded and became impassible due to mudslides and runoff.[40] River floods were reported in Utuado, Jayuya and Yabucoa municipalities with a mudslide also occurring in Jayuya municipality.[41] The Culebrinas River overtopped its banks, causing flooding in Aguadilla.[42] Roughly 29,000 customers lost electricity in Puerto Rico.[43] A mudslide blocked part of Puerto Rico Highway 14 in Aibonito.[44] In Toa Baja, two people were trapped in a house by flooding.[45] Another home was inundated by floodwaters in the municipality.[46] Flooding trapped one person in their vehicle in Dorado.[47] In the territory, a total of 217 people were displaced by the storm.[42] The director of Puerto Rico’s Disaster Management Agency, Carlos Acevedo, stated that Karen caused no major damage in Puerto Rico.[48] In the U.S. Virgin Islands, the storm caused flash flooding, mudslides, and some power outages.[49] Karen set a daily rainfall record at the Cyril E. King Airport in St. Thomas on September 24, with 1.23 in (31.2 mm) of precipitation being recorded. This broke the former record of 1.02 in (25.9 mm) from 1990.[50] Foam blocks from a refinery washed onto beaches in southern St. Croix for months after the storm.[51] On September 25, volunteers of the Red Cross assessed damage in six Puerto Rican municipalities.[52] Power restoration in the U.S. Virgin Islands were completed by September 28.[53]

When Karen formed on September 22, Tropical Storm Warnings were issued for Grenada and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.[15][54] These warnings were cancelled by September 23.[55] Karen caused tropical storm conditions in Grenada, where Flood and Landslide warnings were issued.[56] In nearby Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, a Flood Watch was issued for the country with the threat of heavy rainfall.[57] A government shutdown occurred due to the storm on September 22.[58] The Kingstown port briefly ceased operations that same day.[59] Gusty winds, rough surf, and downed trees were reported on Union Island.[60] Rough seas caused rocks to be pushed up onto a bar at the Liming in Bequia.[59] In Venezuela, heavy rainfall affected Caracas and Güiria. In the latter, some areas lost power and several homes were flooded.[61] On September 23, a Tropical Storm Warning was issued for the British Virgin Islands, which was later cancelled on September 25.[62][31] In preparation for the storm, both public and private schools were forced to close. Many stores also closed along with banks, some clinics, ports, and airports. Strong winds and heavy rainfall were reported in portions of the islands. Falling trees snapped power lines, causing power outages. However, the Department of Disaster Management recorded no major damage.[63]