Rebuilding after the hurricanes

[flowerseverywhere]

This year we have seen very devastating hurricanes hit from the Florida Panhandle up to and including the Carolinas and Virginia. Huge amount of damage, with many losing almost all material possessions they had. The loss of life from the latest may go way up as they start to clear the debris and reach more rural areas. We do a lot of state and National Park camping in these areas, some far from the coast.

When will we reach the point that it makes no sense to rebuild? No doubt, some will be able to renovate and clean up all the dirty polluted water. But for some everything is completely gone. Before Michael there was talk of the flood insurance program not being fully funded. Here is a report on the staggering amount of money we are talking about

https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/161889

so what is the solution? Every hurricane we hear officials say “you are on your own if you stay” yet people stay and call 911. With sea level rise and warmer water adding more fuel to these storms, coupled with more development near the gulf and Atlantic coasts this is not a sustainable situation.

[Teacher Terry]

I totally agree that people need to stop rebuilding in those areas. I don’t understand risking losing everything on a regular basis.

[ToomuchStuff]

This is an issue that has multiple parts to it. One, the type of construction both people want and what is allowed as well as costs. The monolithic dome's I am interested in, have been built in hurricane prone area's and have survived while those around them are demolished. They will need some fixing (the one I am thinking of, has exposed sewer connection pipes, that will have to be replaced)
http://www.monolithic.org/search?q=hurricane
What does insurance pay? What percentage and how is payment set (required to repair, etc)? What about the mortgage on the land? Do you want people taking that money, en mass and leaving the area to go buy a cheaper home somewhere for cash, and leave a bunch of land, debt ridden and still needing clean up?

[sweetana3]

Sometimes I am amazed at our inability to solve these problems. Japan had an earthquake and tsunami that killed over 19.000 and demolished town after town. They picked themselves up almost immediately and worked to get the areas that could be rebuilt done. We visited several and would never have known the tsunami happened.

Hurricanes are a known hazard of coastal living. It is a deliberate choice to live and enjoy the coastal lifestyle.

[catherine]

Or maybe we acknowledge that these extreme weather events are a product of climate change and do something to address that.

[sweetana3]

I am one that agrees with climate change. I have seen first hand significant changes in Alaskan and Arctic weather. Sad. BUT extreme weather events are constant. Galveston TX was hit by a hurricane in 1900 with loss of live 9000 to 12000 and on and on. Human population in the "wrong" areas causes many of the issues.

[oldhat]

Or maybe we acknowledge that these extreme weather events are a product of climate change and do something to address that.

That ship has sailed. We're now looking at an almost certain 2C temperature rise, by the end of this century and probably sooner, which is likely to further worsen and multiply these extreme weather events. They aren't going away no matter what we do. The best we can hope for now is to avoid catastrophic consequences, but that would require a full scale mobilization of resources within the next decade and there are no signs that will happen. The most recent warning siren is already fading from the news headlines. Apparently not many people understand what the word "dire" means.

[dmc]

As someone who lives on the Gulf, I have no intention of moving. I like it here. At least with a hurricane you have some warning. Earthquakes and tornadoes come pretty quick. Now I don’t know why some people that can leave don’t when a big storm is coming. When Irma was heading our way I left, I saw no reason to stay and see what would happen. I understand that some aren’t healthy enough, or can’t afford to leave. But I offered two seats in my plane to several people and they passed. They said they will go next time.

Ill bet most of the damaged homes were built before some of the newer building codes were in effect. I have hurricane shutters and my outside walls are concrete and the roof is tied to the foundation. This house was in Charlie’s path and except for some roof tiles missing there was only minor damage.

[Miss Cellaneous]

Not rebuild in which areas? Hurricanes hit the entire east coast of the US. To rebuild in areas not usually hit by hurricanes, we would have to abandon every inch of shoreline, and for miles inland. I just don't think that is practical. And people will still need to work in those areas--the ports, the fishing, the farmland. Plus all the people who like to vacation at the shore.

I do think that rebuilding in areas that get flooded regularly should be rethought. If a place has flooded several times in the past 20 or so years, hurricanes or no, maybe it is time to move.

And for those in hurricane prone areas, better building codes, so that buildings can withstand hurricane force winds. And better shelters for those who cannot afford to leave and pay for hotel rooms. Or who have employers who won't let them evacuate early.

[Teacher Terry]

People in nursing homes have died because they didn’t have generators. I read now that they are required to get them. What a hassle to have to evacuate and this year seems especially bad. When we lived in Kansas we were sleeping through tornadoes. We bought a weather radio that would come on loudly and tell us how long we had to get to the basement. It was always just a minute or 2. We had the builder put all the kids bedrooms in the basement for that reason. I don’t miss that either.

[Gardnr]

As my Mom said about WW2 in Rotterdam: "It's your home. It's what you know and what/who you love. You stay. You rebuild. You don't leave."

I live on the edge of a big earthquake faultline. The last one was 200m northeast of here in 1983. They say the big one is coming. But I'm not leaving. If it hits, the big canal behind our house will likely flood us out 100%. Can't buy flood insurance for it-I've tried.

Our cabin is also near the faultline. 2 summers ago we had 100s of quakes in the 3.0 vicinity. We felt them mildly. If we move 600 miles east we are in tornado country. If we move west, more faultlines. If we move south or out east, it's hurricanes. My friend in North Dakota flooded last month. The northeast gets hammered by snow/ice/bitter cold.

What is "safe" in the USA?

[Teacher Terry]

We have moved enough times that I would leave if we started having one disaster after another. People in California kept building on hills that are subject to mudslides over and over. It makes no sense to me.

[Float On]

BIL and SIL outside of Bainbridge, GA lost their Pecan Farm. Apparently not a tree left standing. And it was going to be a bumper crop in a few weeks.

[Teacher Terry]

Float, that is really sad. Is that what they do for a living?

[Float On]

Float, that is really sad. Is that what they do for a living?

It was her travel income. He just retired and they were in MT at their hunting cabin celebrating retirement when news arrived where the hurricane was headed. They bought a few generators and hit the road for home. Their main house near town had little damage, the farm house has one tree on the house and then 18 acres of Pecans down. I'm not sure what else was planted on the farm for row crops, they leased some of it to another farm.

[jp1]

It is indeed possible to build to withstand hurricanes, as this house shows. The question, though, is cost. And what to do with all the existing homes that were built to a lesser spec.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/14/us/hurricane-michael-florida-mexico-beach-house.html

[Tradd]

It is indeed possible to build to withstand hurricanes, as this house shows. The question, though, is cost. And what to do with all the existing homes that were built to a lesser spec.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/14/us/hurricane-michael-florida-mexico-beach-house.html

And I was just coming here to post this same article!

[oldhat]

It is indeed possible to build to withstand hurricanes, as this house shows. The question, though, is cost. And what to do with all the existing homes that were built to a lesser spec.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/14/us/hurricane-michael-florida-mexico-beach-house.html

A couple of years ago I was in Galveston. It was only a year or two after their last severe hurricane (can't remember the name) and the damage from that one still hadn't been fully cleaned up. Walking down the beach past the seawall, I was astonished to see brand new houses being built, literally 50 yards from the water's edge.

Hope springs eternal. I guess the people building those houses are hoping theirs is going to be like that one in the Times, still standing while everything around it is a pile of wreckage.