hj Loc: Florida

Our hearts go out to all those affected in the Houston and surrounding flood areas. They will suffer in various ways for months and years to come. However, I have often wondered why people continue to live and rebuild in flood prone areas. If I went through something like that I would relocate, however I know some are constrained with such things as jobs. We read often about people living along rivers that flood and they rebuild right in the same spot two, three or more times. That makes no sense. Yes I know folks in the Houston area might have lived there a life-time without problem, but I'm talking more about others that live in flood plains along rivers etc. Fool me once, shame on you but fool me twice, shame on me.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

It's amazing what areas become "floor prone" under extreme conditions. Sure, lots of people live right on the shores of a river or ocean, but when a storm brings flooding and rain, water can travel miles. Municipalities (and insurance companies) change their designations of flood areas periodically. Even deserts are subject to flash floods.

hj Loc: Florida

Not talking about the once-in-a-lifetime flooding. I'm referencing folks that rebuild on the shores of a flood-prone river multiple times and expect the insurance company or government to bail them out REPEATEDLY.

Woodworm65 Loc: Lombard, IL

Some of the reasons are economics and they have no other choice, but I do believe that some areas along the Mississippi are no longer buildable parts of New Orleans should have been declared unbuildable and some of the areas along the Atlantic and Gulf coast regions the insurance is astronomical.

thewags Loc: Phoenix

Speaking of living along rivers, I spent a decade in the St Louis area, and I marveled at the homes along the rivers which flood nearly every year. These homes were built on stilts. Residents were used to boating to their home when the floods came. But the land was cheap, and they adapted. Houston, however, is a different story. I agree that I would not live in such precarious locations, but they did have levees. They were hit with 50 inches of rain, which is unheard of.

fourg1b2006 Loc: Long Island New York

I don't know why they rebuild but i'm sure they have their reasons...my heart goes out to all the victims.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

Appropriate insurance rates may help some to re-locate from obviously flood prone areas. The gov't will continue evaluating their insurance program and the party is coming to an end.

SonyBug

After the 2010 flood in Nashville, the City bought out some homeowners, and refused to allow others to build in the flood plain. So, now a flood there will only affect a grassy field.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

Problem is some are huge metropolitan and trade centers. For example Houston is a world unto itself and there are several other biggies. In my state I'd rather see the shoreline residences bought out and returned to the public.

Lowrider Loc: Kennesaw, GA

In the Houston area they suffered a one in 800 years flood event. This means that a flood of this magnitude only occurs once in every 800 years. It is difficult if not impossible to buy flood coverage if the Government has not declared your area eligible for flood insurance. While it may not have been eligible then it will be now. Too little too late. As the saying goes, hope for the best prepare for the worse. I will be building a retirement home on a river near the coast of AL. The flood requirements say it must be 10' above ground, the house I own now is 8', so I will tear it down and build one 12' off the ground. That is a lot of steps so I am installing an outside elevator. But I whole hardily agree with flood for people on the coast who encounter tidal surge, wind and rising waters. There is no excuse for the American people to have to subsidize these homes when a great number of them are second homes or rentals. We, as American taxpayers subsidize the insurance and after Houston, insurance will be so expensive if not prohibitive. The Federal flood program is like social security. It has been broke for a while.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

The insurance program was relatively self sustaining, in and out of the black, until 2005, with Katrina and two ensuing major hurricanes, it is many billions in debt. FEMA has spent a lot of money remapping and incorporating the most current info and established new rates last year, only to have to roll them back because they were too expensive.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Right. Not everyone can live in a mansion on a hill. Selling a house in a flood zone will yield a small amount of money, certainly not enough to buy an equivalent house somewhere dry.

When I was a kid, we lived in a house with canals on either side of us. It was a great place to grow up, but every hurricane brought a certain amount of flooding. The water never got into our house, but there were firemen in boats looking for people to rescue. I thought that was cool!

John N Loc: HP14 3QF Stokenchurch, UK

We don't get 'extreme' weather but we do get a lot of rain on occasions. Building on flood plains is common here, and still going on despite recent disasters. Wouldn't be surprised to find the flatter, softer ground is easier for builders to build on.
It seems to have come as a surprise to some that Nature creates flood plains for a reason, but hey, we know best!

A prime example here was the building of the Jubilee River, a sort of 12-mile floodwater by-pass around Maidenhead and Windsor. Came as no surprise to me that Staines (next town downstream) now floods.

And what were those Norman Builders thinking of, dragging all that masonary 50' above the river to build Windsor Castle?

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rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

One needs to keep the city government, developers, and lawyers in mind in light of this catastrophe.
--Bob

Sirsnapalot Loc: Hammond, Louisiana

While you're buying people out in flood prone areas, you can't forget the earthquake, wildfire, mudslide, tornado alley and blizzard prone areas. You know you don't want to make anyone feel left out!