Responsibility/Natural Disasters

[PrincipalSkinner]

In retrospect, the idea of building a city surrounded by water on land below sea level seems ludicrous.

Considering New Orleans fair warning of what can happen to those who ignore reality, what do you think should be done about San Francisco and Los Angeles, who sit astride SERIOUS earthquake fault lines?

There is absolutely no doubt about it--there will be earthquake(s) which will kill huge numbers of people. All scientists understand this. It is not a question of "if", but rather a question of "when".

And yet everybody takes a "head in the sand" attitude and just hopes that it doesn't happen in their lifetimes.

So whose responsibility is it to do something before it happens? What should they do?

[tylerdurden]

[ QUOTE ]
In retrospect, the idea of building a city surrounded by water on land below sea level seems ludicrous.

[/ QUOTE ]

New Orleans was not built below sea level. The site was chosen because it was the *highest* point in the area. Nonetheless, it still flooded routinely. The French started the levees and river redirection projects which cause the city to sink.