CNN: When will we ever learn the lessons of hurricanes?

[SkinInsite]

(CNN) -- As I write this, Hurricane Irene is on its way up the U.S. East Coast and, if the storm follows the current path projections, one thing is certain. Many buildings are soon to be destroyed -- perhaps numbering in the hundreds - and thousands more will be damaged.

Dozens of artificial beaches -- nourished beaches that cost millions of dollars per mile -- will be narrowed and some will disappear altogether including possibly some that are a few months old like the new beach at Nags Head, North Carolina.

Beachfront roads, like segments of Highway 12 on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, are likely to be wiped out. Sea walls will be damaged or destroyed along the East Coast from north Florida up and lots of sand and debris will cover the streets of larger coastal towns such as Virginia Beach.

A number of small communities along estuarine shorelines of the Carolinas are sure to be flooded. If Irene continues up the coast to New Jersey and even New England the damage will be even more impressive.

Unfortunately some people will die. State emergency officials on the North Carolina Outer Banks efficiently evacuate tourists, but local, year round people often stay. The refrain is that "we've been through this before." This however, may not be the case with this storm, as large and slow moving as it is.

When the storm has passed there will be a wave of sympathy for the many families and businesses that will be affected. In the beach communities, patriotism will prevail, American flags will be unfurled on makeshift flag poles and the dominant attitude will be: "we're tough and were coming back." I've witnessed this a dozen times. A better attitude is "we've learned a lesson, let's build elsewhere."

FEMA, a much-improved agency since Hurricane Katrina, will be on the scene immediately with aid and emergency provisions. In the longer term FEMA will provide money, loans or flood insurance to rebuild, clean up beaches and towns, repair the roads, water and sewer lines and other infrastructure and eventually return life almost to normal.

Almost is an important characterization because, in fact, historically, the most recent hurricanes hitting the East Coast -- Hugo (1989) and Fran (1996) for example -- have been urban renewal projects. Small beach cottages, destroyed or damaged, are replaced by larger buildings and sometimes even high rises. And the new buildings are placed on property that is now more susceptible to storms than before because the shoreline is closer and the dunes are gone.

Recognizing the futility (and stupidity) of rebuilding in very dangerous places, the states of North Carolina and South Carolina both instituted policies of not allowing buildings in beach communities to be replaced if destroyed by storms. Property owners went to court, important people were offended, politicians got into the mix and the approach did not work in either state.

"When will we ever learn" as the song goes. Why spend federal and state money to bring back roads, water and sewer lines, bridges and beaches in locations where we know for certain that storms occurred in the past and will soon occur again in the future; storms that will destroy the communities.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/08/26/hurricane.coastal.building/index.html

[Larry]

I agree. People should not be allowed to live in places where nature occasionally disrupts things.

(Do I really need to put a sarcasm tag on this?)

[TimmySmith]

More leftist CNN drivel, trashing the south and letting New York, Connecticut and New Hampshire off the hook.

[greenspandan]

this is one of the worst cnn articles i've ever read, and that's really saying something. this jackass is arrogantly doing a roundabout "told ya so" to the tune of "anyone who builds anything anywhere near the east coast deserves what they get." sure, let's abandon all locations on earth that periodically experience weather. or earthquakes. or tornados. or floods. hmm, that leaves what ... a bit of central pennsylvania? ugh, you can have it. give me a break. sometimes happens, and then we rebuild.

[Special K]

Let's not rebuild SF the next time an earthquake hits. Those hipster ****s are asking for it!!!

[Kilmer17]

I wish we could all live in the mountains. At high altitude. That's where I see myself in five years.

[daveakl]

Don't leave out the Mississippi. We should let it go back to flowing naturally also right?

[FanboyOf91]

Baiting, not going to click.

[Special K]

I wish we could all live in the mountains. At high altitude. That's where I see myself in five years.

Then you gotta pay for all us jackasses who lose our homes in forest fires!!!

No but for real, high altitude rocks: I love the frequent nose bleeds I get, as well as the constantly chapped lips and dry skin, and the fact that I get winded walking up the stairs with my vacuum (okay, not so much anymore, but the first few days here I definitely felt it, lol).

[daveakl]

I wish we could all live in the mountains. At high altitude. That's where I see myself in five years.

WTF, and become stranded when a Blizzard comes through? I ain't paying to clear your roads. You knew the risk!

[zoony]

Let's not rebuild SF the next time an earthquake hits. Those hipster ****s are asking for it!!!

I wish we could all live in the mountains. At high altitude. That's where I see myself in five years.

mudslides dude, mudslides.

[Prosperity]

This sounded like a dumb argument when used against the idea of having New Orleans, seems even dumber now.

[Corcaigh]

and the fact that I get winded walking up the stairs with my vacuum (okay, not so much anymore, but the first few days here I definitely felt it, lol).

You stopped vacuuming?

[Tulane Skins Fan]

Well, this theory was a lot more popular when it was used as a defense of W. Bush in the wake of Katrina: "those people are stupid for living there," "those people should all just move." It was a dumb comment then and now. Nowhere in this country is safe from mother nature. Mother nature is everywhere and every once in a while she's a raging *****. We just have to deal with it.

[Destino]

It it really out of the question to build things in a manner that can survive a hurricane? Obviously I don't expect all existing structures to be torn down but new ones should be held to a higher standard. If a certain spot is particularly dangerous, I agree the state should be allowed to stop construction on that site as they are able to do for other hazardous conditions (this is an extreme with individual characteristics that make it a death trap).

One more question: why do houses in hurricane zones look like houses everywhere else? I'd think they'd at least get rid of the over hanging roof that will no doubt catch the wind.

[Tulane Skins Fan]

I wish we could all live in the mountains. At high altitude. That's where I see myself in five years.

What is that from? Some movie.... on the tip... of... my... tongue...... damn it.

Bill Murray..... crap!

[USS Redskins]

I do know that if I built a home from the Carolinas to Florida or the Gulf Coast, it woudl be some sort of concrete bunker like the ones they stormed on D-Day.

It may not be pretty but it will hold up against some heavy weather.

[mjah]

More leftist CNN drivel, trashing the south and letting New York, Connecticut and New Hampshire off the hook.

Or, maybe the south gets hit by hurricanes with far greater frequency and therefore is the logical focus of his point.

The guy is a Duke professor. Whatever your opinion of his point of view, being based in North Carolina might color his perspective on the issue just a wee bit and bring certain frequently-trashed coastal locations to his mind before others.

Also, this is op-ed. Whether you're talking about CNN, the Wall Street Journal, or pretty much any other news agency anywhere, op-ed is the haven for self-important dolts in love with their own half-****ed ideas.

this is one of the worst cnn articles i've ever read, and that's really saying something. this jackass is arrogantly doing a roundabout "told ya so" to the tune of "anyone who builds anything anywhere near the east coast deserves what they get." sure, let's abandon all locations on earth that periodically experience weather. or earthquakes. or tornados. or floods. hmm, that leaves what ... a bit of central pennsylvania? ugh, you can have it. give me a break. sometimes sh*t happens, and then we rebuild.

Over the past 7 days, central Pennsylvania has experienced severe weather, an earthquake, flooding, and tornado warnings in neighboring counties just to the southeast.

I didn't really read all that much into what this Duke guy wrote, but I remember something I noticed in high school. At Sunset Beach in NC, there was (and hopefully still is) a regulation barring any construction within one block of the beach. As a consequence, "beachfront" property is actually set back 100-200 feet from the edge of the beach. A natural barrier of sand dunes protects the interests of both the beach and the property owners during most extreme-weather events. It has always struck me as a very reasonable compromise.

Those dunes get badly eroded sometimes, due to encroaching water. But to people concerned with the costs of homeowner's insurance, losing sand is a hell of a lot better than losing homes.

[daveakl]

But to people concerned with the costs of homeowner's insurance, losing sand is a hell of a lot better than losing homes.

Maybe he is mad that he pays higher insurance in Durham to help float those at the beach?

[Special K]

You stopped vacuuming?

No, now I just make my husband carry the vacuum and steam cleaner upstairs. I tell him it's cross training.

[twa]

I think people are overreacting to the article,there are sensible restrictions and exclusions to flood ins coverage that can be implemented w/o stopping building along the coast and flood plains.

that said the writer is a dick.

[mjah]

Maybe he is mad that he pays higher insurance in Durham to help float those at the beach?

Maybe.

But he doesn't need the beach people for that. He could just as easily get mad about paying higher insurance in Durham to help float those on the other side of Durham.

[mcsluggo]

More leftist CNN drivel, trashing the south and letting New York, Connecticut and New Hampshire off the hook.

you have quite an interesting (and self serving) definition of "leftist"

[757SeanTaylor21]

Hurricane irene was weak.

[Botched]

When will we ever learn the lessons of chlamydia, and stop building houses in Baltimore?