Unnatural Disasters

Blake Ann makes a good point: I don't post enough. Maybe it's just because there hasn't been enough happening lately. Like most other people, I've been watching a lot of Katrina coverage between typhoons. Number three this season was Katrina-size and hit us the Thursday after Katrina. Number four is due on Sunday. We had another earthquake this week as well, but it was only a 2.5, which doesn't even count. Think mild turbulence on a flight, only at your desk (the kind that doesn't even make you guard your coffee). So, Stacy and Geoff excluded, I feel I am as much a natural disaster expert as anyone.  Here are my thoughts:

Even bigger typhoons are not that bad here because of the geography. The mountains chew up most of the wind, and we don't have much problem with storm surge. What we do get are mudslides, washed-out roads, and localized flooding. Taipei is in a bowl (but well above sea level) so the mountains keep the wind from getting too bad.

The second reason is that we have a ton of them every year and they build for it. Power and communications lines are buried. Most houses are concrete or brick. Someone here learned a lesson from the three little pigs.

FEMA screwed up, but not nearly as much as the governor and the mayor of New Orleans. FEMA's job is to provide support to state and local emergency management agencies. The state authorities remain in charge. The governor had control over the Louisiana National Guard troops and chose not to send them in at the beginning because of how it would look. Once reports of out-of-control gangs started being reported, CNN told me we were not seeing troops because the Louisiana constitution prohibits the declaration of martial law. That could've been a mistake, but it showed the mentality.

Anyway, what do you expect? Louisiana government has always been either incompetent or corrupt.

Comments

[Blake Ann]

Thanks for the update. It is always good to hear from you!
Stay safe,
Blake Ann

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