Rainfall bursts of several inches in a short time are rare occurrences in this drought-stricken part of the country.

So imagine the surprise of people in Sublette when some six inches of rain fell in just a couple of hours Tuesday -- and, as a result, stressed a sewer system that reportedly had no way of accommodating such a downpour.

In an most unwelcome development, the deluge flooded the sewer main, leaving some residents with public wastewater backing into their homes. That was followed by officials urging residents to use their toilets as little as possible, as flushing only promised to exacerbate the problem. Portable toilets were set up around town.

The inconvenience was short-lived, fortunately. By Friday the sewer system was again working properly.

It's worth noting that the fallout of the heavy rain extended beyond houses, as farm fields were soaked to the point that they resembled lakes. We're left to see how extensive the crop damage might be there.

As the nation watched extraordinary precipitation lead to devastating flooding that destroyed homes and lives in the Midwest, little did we know that heavy rain would tax a community nestled in a region long affected by drought.

The Sublette situation was a far cry from what happened in flood-ravaged areas, of course. But that's little consolation for the folks of Sublette whose homes were affected, and now face the prospect of pitching everything from carpet and furniture to photo albums and other keepsakes damaged by sewer water.

Midwest residents and communities hit with epic flooding in 1993 thought such an event never could happen again, yet it did. Many of those who chose not to pursue flood-related safeguards after '93 paid dearly this time, which brought another reminder of the importance of conversations about possible improvements and other changes that could better prepare communities when Mother Nature unleashes her wrath.

Officials in Sublette noted that nothing more could be done in the wake of the rain that fell Tuesday and overwhelmed the sewer system, and that the town simply was the victim of bad luck.

While that may be true, it never hurts to expect the unexpected, and explore new ways to be better prepared.