Once again, Kauai has survived another battering from the weather, which thankfully roared through without serious injury or loss of life, but was brutal nonetheless. The storm dumped some 2-1/2 feet of rain on the saturated earth and rooftops.

The islands were hit over the weekend with torrential rain, causing flash flooding and significant damage on Oahu and especially the Garden Island.

Neighbors living in the hard-hit, remote areas showed their incomparable community spirit; they deserve credit for helping people to safety until emergency aid could arrive.

It’s inspiring to witness that kind of resolute action and human outreach that develops in rural communities, where people know they have to rely on themselves.

But we all wish we didn’t have to witness that quite as often — and the prospect of more rain as the storm system circles back is disheartening.

Kauai seems to be in the crosshairs when disaster strikes, with so many still having vivid memories of Hurricane Iniki, to cite the standout example.

And there’s evidence, from the heightened intensity of storms around the world, that climate change will wreak havoc with usual weather patterns. Experts project the advent of more “extreme” storms. In all likelihood, Hawaii can expect its future storms to be more disruptive and destructive.

On Kauai in particular, it’s crucial that the island’s aging infrastructure be bolstered to withstand such an onslaught, for the long term. The county’s bridges on its rain-soaked east side put residents at risk of isolation. This is something for lawmakers to consider in the final negotiations of the state capital improvements funding.

More immediately, the storm victims must be assisted in tapping relief funds and the community donations, as soon as possible.

East Oahu and Windward communities rallied to mop up after rainwater inundated roadways, closing parts of Kalanianaole Highway for hours.

On Kauai, the deluge meant helicopter airlifts to rescue more than 200 people stranded on the island’s North Shore. Red Cross shelters have provided a safe haven for those who could not return to their homes, as well as stranded visitors.

With mudslides and other aftereffects still taking a toll, Kauai will be struggling for some time. Also mindful of the danger from dams and reservoirs overtopping or failing — the Ka Loko Dam tragedy that killed seven in 2006 — structures such as Kalihiwai Reservoir were given prompt inspection before residents could return safely.

Not the least of the problems was the damage to crops. Many of the state’s attempts to become more food self-sufficient have enlisted the work of small family-run farms. And those who lost their produce to the storm have little to no fallback: Crop insurance is designed more for the large-scale commodity crops, farmers have said.

County officials for Kauai and Oahu are calculating whether they have a case to make for federal aid. They should advance those arguments as soon as possible.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz said in a prepared statement that he has made overtures to various federal agencies that could provide that aid. But first they need formal requests from the governor and the Kauai and Oahu mayors, who have to show a need that meets the threshold.

That documentation needs to come together quickly, with outreach to victims needing assistance in filing any claims from storm damage.

However, any assistance that comes down the federal pipeline will take a while to get here. Those in dire straits, with residence uninhabitable, need the generosity of their fellow citizens. Various charities are working to marshal all these resources on the victims’ behalf.

And more than anything, the storm victims need to know that their neighbors from every island have their back.