G Brown Loc: Sunny Bognor Regis West Sussex UK

I live in the UK. A natural disaster, here, usually involves flooding to the ground floor of your property. Occasionally, should you live close to a river or on a cliff top close to the edge, your house will be totally destroyed by extreme Rainstorms or coastal erosion.

Information about Flood risk areas is available from The Environment Agency website.(UKGOV) Flood is rated as Once in 3, 5, or fifty years. After several recent floods, Insurance companies now refuse to insure certain properties that THEY consider to be at risk.(Known, has no time limit, nor has frequency any bearing. Many homes simply cannot get insurance cover.)

We have no volcanoes now in the UK, though we do occasionally experience tremours as the 'plates' grind due to uplift or lateral shift of our bedrocks. I do, however appreciate that people like volcanic areas for their increased soil nutrients. As agricultural areas they offer a place of work and abundance of crops.

Two areas of the US intrigue me - Why would you live in a known tornado area. Why would you live in a known Hurricane area. Neither bring any benefit to where you live. In fact, the increase in both of these 'natural disasters' within a 'lifetime' would be a major factor to decide not to.

In a country that is quite sparcely populated, there are many areas that 'as an alternative' would be a safer option for those able to move. Yet people persist in rebuilding in the same place. What am I not understanding. What is so important that you put your lives at risk.

In a modern world, many people 'work from home' with no necessary connection to their environment. We have less connection to our birthplace and are much more 'mobile by choice' than our forefathers.

As there seems to be another storm about to hit an area that has not recovered from a previous disaster. I am curious as to how people (or a government) can rationalise non - permanent evacuation. At what point do you think ' you would call it a day' and allow nature to reclaim those parts of the country that it seems intent upon attacking.

I am not being 'defeatist' but as an Environmental Science graduate 'I do not understand'.
We quote King Cannute who showed that 'God Given Royalty' could not command the tide to turn back.

For those affected my hopes are that you keep safe.

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

An answer to living in a known Tornado area: A tornado can occur anywhere on earth except Antartica

808caver Loc: Maui

I live on the side of a dormant volcano waiting for a tropical storm to dump rain (TS Olivia). Its beautiful, tropical and lush and its home!!

TomC. Loc: Bel Air, MD

I think that they love the things about the area so much that they decide to take their chances and re-build. They have a history there and probably family ties.

P.S. You asked several questions in your statement above and I didn't see any "?" marks. What's with that? I'm not trying to be too critical, the rest of your writings are very intelligent and well stated, but it makes me stumble over the speed bump and retrace to see what you were saying.

DebAnn Loc: Toronto

I'd say your outlook is a bit simplistic. There are many, many reasons why people live where they do. Incidents of foul weather are often few and far between. Sometimes it's for economic reasons - available work is of primary importance. Sometimes it's because families need to be close to available healthcare of one type or another. Authorities can't move masses of people away from areas because there might be a hurricane or a flood. Where are they going to put them? I expect others can think of a lot more reasons to support staying put.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Where I live there is little chance of earthquakes, tornados, hurricanes, or landslides.
(Besides, I was born & raised here.)

G Brown Loc: Sunny Bognor Regis West Sussex UK

Yes, Bognor has had two tornado's in the last 10 years - the first lifted a few slates of a roof, the second took a whole roof of slates off. Hardly a major disaster. A Hurricane twenty years ago blew down a lot of trees and killed several people (mainly those driving their cars in it). Nothing like the devastation that happens in The US.

lesdmd Loc: Middleton Wi via N.Y.C. & Cleveland

I think most people have the attitude that “(s*)it won’t happen to here”.

I live in Wisconsin to be close to my only son and family who are here for career reasons. There is the possibility of tornadoes and floods, we would prefer more big city culture, but we have our grandchildren within walking distance. We made the move after retirement; and after 8 years think it is the smartest thing we have ever done.
We are surrounded by love; and nothing else much matters.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

It's interesting to read your observations, G Brown. I've lived in several corners of the U.S. and often wonder why people choose to live in places like "Tornado Alley," where tornadoes are common.

But as mentioned, family and historical ties + economic considerations (many, many jobs cannot be done from home - all the "blue collar" work, service industry, agricultural, timber, fishing, to name just a few) would be the greatest reasons IMO.

Now, as far as rebuilding, I haven't kept up with current regulatory laws, but I remember decades ago thinking it wasn't fair for taxpayers to fund rebuilding in coastal areas or flood plains. But I don't recall thinking much about tornadoes or earthquakes in that regard. Imagine moving millions of people out of California after an earthquake? Or in anticipation of The Big One...which will come, surely it will.

Shellback Loc: North of Cheyenne Bottoms Wetlands - Kansas

I live in "Tornado Alley" - grew up here - lived on both coasts - in the mountains - retired and came back home...

Tornado alley - as it's known - is also the grain belt - agriculture and livestock to feed the country (countries)...
Hurricanes (Atlantic) or Typhoons (Pacific) - coastal - major businesses - oil/gas/shipping/cargo ports - tourists - fishing - cruise ships - etc. - political headquarters, military presence, etc...

Disasters can (and will) happen anywhere at anytime - recent fires in the mountains are an example - can't worry about it - it's not IF it will happen, but when it will happen... Plan for the worst and hope for the best...

G Brown Loc: Sunny Bognor Regis West Sussex UK

The UK government has stopped many of the defence initiatives along the South Coast of the UK (Costs too much to dump gravel that the tides then wash away). As a result many people had to move and businesses re-site. The South of the UK is sinking at approx 4mm per year (Bounce back from the ice age.....Scotland is gaining land.)
Katrina ....People moved and most did not come back.
Authorities can move people. Look at East Germany and how West Germany dealt with it.
When do you say....enough?

G Brown Loc: Sunny Bognor Regis West Sussex UK

Yes I accept that it is difficult to plan for the mass exodus. But we see on TV people who live in trailer parks on the coast, or rebuilding a wooded house where their old one blew down. Much of Florida is inches above sea level...
Japan upped their building regulations and I am sure California has too.. But the last Administration was criticised for its slow response to Katrina, This one for a slow or non existant response for Peuto-Rica and some of the islands in the Caribean. It appears that little long term prospect for sustainable development is even at the discussion stage. For a developed nation of your size and small population density surely there must be a long term plan.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Sadly, the only long-term plan is how to get re-elected, but I'll quit the conversation now because I don't want to go political (and can't anyway because I've been denying the "divided state" we're in for the past seven years )

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

The flood insurance programs have been dramatically changed with respect to repeat rebuilds. A couple years ago they also increased premiums to the extent that with all the money and whining, the increases were rolled back, at least temporarily.

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

I have lived most of my life in northeastern part of the US---Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Philadelphia. When I retired in 2010 I moved to Florida to get away from the cold, snow, sleet, ice and freezing rain. Florida is a known hurricane area though the number of hurricanes to hit Florida are few. Last year Florida was hit by one hurricane, Irma. In 2016 two hurricanes hit Florida, Hermine and Matthew. The last time before 2016 that Florida was hit by a hurricane was 2004. I had no damage to my property from either of the two 2016 hurricanes and only minor wind damage to a fence from Irma in 2017. That is no guarantee that no hurricane will ever cause me severe property damage, but life is a roll of the dice anyway. Hurricanes are easier predict and project than tornados, and if one is projected to be a danger to my area I can hop in my car and go some place else until it passes. In the meantime I happily while away my time in the warmth of the Florida sunshine.