Not in My Backyard!

"There's no place like home" - Dorothy, Wizard of Oz

In an article published Aug 12 by Dot Earth, the author discusses studies "On Elephants’ Memories, Human Forgetfulness and Disaster". Historically when a coastal village is wiped out by a tsunami, it is rebuilt on higher ground and the village elders tell the story of the flood to the next generation. This lasts for about 100 years at which point the stories are forgotten, or no longer believed, and a village is rebuilt in the flood prone area. Today the time of forgetfulness is even shorter as a young generation disregards the lessons of their parents and peers.

"In 1992, a devastating tsunami hit the coastal resort of El Transito on the Pacific coast of Nicaragua. More than 100 died; [...] The government relocated the population up coast and inland. [...] in 1995, I was astounded to see the town rebuilt, with new bars and canteens where we counted bodies 3 years earlier. [...] the town was now inhabited with newcomers from Managua, who grabbed the opportunity of cheap coastal real estate — none of the new locals or the tourists remembered or knew that their resort had been severely hit." - "On Elephants’ Memories, ..."

Bottom Line
It is important to know the disaster history for your town and region. How frequent is drought, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquake, flooding, blizzards, ice storms, lightning, etc. Be aware also of potential man-made disasters. Do you live near a nuclear power plant? Near a highway or train where hazardous materials might be transported? Near a chemical plant? In a fire prone building? Knowing the local risks is the first step in preparation.