Why would you live there?
By Jekca
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
Centralia, Missouri
September 15, 2015 4:42pm CST
So, in the news today (I rather like google news for the chance to scan what's being reported all over), is footage of people escaping the wildfires in Cali. Ok, now I understand that nowhere is safe, but certain places make a body wonder, why would you live there?
There were these homes, growing up, right next to the Missouri River, which flooded almost every year. These homes were at water level, so every year they'd get damaged. Sure enough they'd be rebuild just in time for the next year's flood. Eventually they built them up on stilts, and then that next year was the flood to end all floods, and the cycle still continued.
You can't avoid everything, but to me, rebuilding a home in those area's in California would be like building a home on the short side of a volcano, just below a dam that breaks every year, or something equally odd. Why would you stay? When is it just too dangerous to be a place to live?
15 people like this
16 responses
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
16 Sep 15
My thoughts exactly. Just like people overlooking things because they want whatever it is more than really looking at the warning signs and being honest about things.
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
16 Sep 15
They say "East or West, Home is Best" and some people may not move because they really love the area or can't imagine living elsewhere. Some people may be able to afford to live in areas that are at a risk - for instance people who live right on the ocean in a place where hurricanes and winter storms often cause storm surges. And some people may be too poor to move. I always wonder why people live in tornado-prone areas, and why, if they expect tornadoes, do they live in trailers?
3 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
16 Sep 15
Well, tornados is a hard one, much of america is at risk here, we live in such an area, but can go years and not see a single one. This last year 2 took out towns nearby, but that's very not normal. We get lots of bad storms, but no touchdowns normally. Anyways, when we sell this place and build our own, I want to build with concrete, and build into a hill, there are ways to make a place both fire and tornado safer.
1 person likes this
@kaka135 (14931)
• Malaysia
15 Sep 15
It's sad to hear that, but some people may just treat it as their "homeland", and do not wish to move away. If they have gone through this many times and still want to be there, perhaps they also think this is their life.
I'd prefer to stay in a safe place, though it seems like nowhere is perfectly safe nowadays.
2 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
16 Sep 15
I think that after the first time, I'd either move, or if that wasn't a possibility, I'd rebuild with that disaster in mind, so if it happened again, there would be a better chance I didn't lose everything,
2 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
16 Sep 15
@Marcyaz this is quite true, some just seem to be, well silly places to live. like on the slopes of an active volcano, or on a cliff that has proven to be crumbling into the sea.
@Rosekitty (19368)
• San Marcos, Texas
15 Sep 15
Some people just don't care or think it will ever happen again.
The land is maybe very valuable or beautiful and they still want to be there..I say let the fools go..they are not wanting to move on so let them be..
2 people like this
@Rosekitty (19368)
• San Marcos, Texas
15 Sep 15
@Jessicalynnt we had a major flood here in May and this house built on the river was on stilts..a tree knocked one of the stilts off and it made the house float down the river..9 people were in it including 3 children under age 8..the house hit a bridge broke apart and all but the father drowned..so stilts won't even work..
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
15 Sep 15
I would suggest a fire proof house, I swear I read something about someone who built one!
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (472078)
• Switzerland
16 Sep 15
@Jessicalynnt It was what we were said. Cayman Island seemed safe and we had a hurricane just the day we landed there.
2 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
16 Sep 15
I have pondered island life, from the reading i have done some islands are less prone to such things.
2 people like this
@OneOfMany (12150)
• United States
16 Sep 15
I'll be happier when people stopped getting swindled by nature and start building to regulate it better. Floods, droughts, fires, tornadoes, hurricanes, and even volcanoes (although they are better left alone, unless they are really big) can be dealt with through our efforts. You just have to understand the system in order to negate the danger. The first three are the easiest, but the others are possible as well.
2 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
16 Sep 15
This is very true too. You have to live in tornado alley? Build into a hillside, and build with those kinds of winds and issue in mind. People are smarter than that. We can come up with all kinds of solutions.
2 people like this
@OneOfMany (12150)
• United States
16 Sep 15
@Jessicalynnt Exactly. Building underground is one of the best ways to deal with tornadoes. I watched a story on the weather channel about a man who had his house destroyed several times by hurricanes and he built one out of concrete, that was dome-shaped, super thick, had back up generators and other aggressive architecture meant to withstand the next one. A news crew was down reporting and got trapped by the storm and he let them stay there. They said it was quiet and comfortable, and felt like nothing was happening outside. The next morning when they went outside there was nothing left standing except his home. Everything else was just flat or gone.
3 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
16 Sep 15
@OneOfMany This is exactly what I mean. I read somewhere of a guy who did something like this, with fire in mind. He said his walls got a little warm, but he had filters to bring in safe air, and his house survived fine!
2 people like this
@rusty2rusty (6763)
• Defiance, Ohio
17 Sep 15
Once you have lived somewhere for many years and have alot of money invested. It is hard to pick up and move. Many people have their land but not the money or the means to move. Even if they could move, they can not get enough money out of their property to pay off loans. There are many reason people stay where they do.
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
18 Sep 15
ok, I will give you that. but say your house does get destroyed and insurance gives you the money to rebuild, would you not at least take into mind how the home got destroyed and build differently?
@celticeagle (168334)
• Boise, Idaho
15 Sep 15
I will wager that these poor people are weighing the reasons they did live there with what they have gone though.
2 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
15 Sep 15
I bet it was pretty, or it couldn't happen to me. Perhaps a few, this is the family house, although by now I would assume many have burned down and rebuilt. I would be tempted to build a fireproof house!
1 person likes this
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
16 Sep 15
If it was that easy, people would never have been in places like Syria or even Iraq especially at times such as these.
Some people just dont have a choice. Some others have sentiments and emotions attached and some others have to follow the group.
I dont have a choice. I have overcome the sentiments and emotions part - to sticking on to the place of stay. But now, I have my wifey whom I simply cannot leave and go. I need her to be around.
2 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
16 Sep 15
Well, the place I was referring too was more so an expensive place that there is a certain, mindset of the rich live here, who should have the money for better options. If you don't, you don't, and you do the best you can
@gregario888 (1276)
• Aurangabad, India
16 Sep 15
You have to take your chances, even a safe high rise can go to pieces, if hit by a quake. You better stay where you like it, it is sure to be lovely as long as it lasts.
2 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
16 Sep 15
earthquakes is one our area only has had since the oil companies started fraking and such, and they are pretty small, we are lucky in that.
2 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
15 Sep 15
I say the same thing, but then I realize that most people pick where they live because they love the area, have family/friends/grew up there, etc. Heck a plane can cash down any place and destroy a home - like you said no place is safe...we all take chances.
2 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
16 Sep 15
@Jessicalynnt I am glad that I have the freedom to move anyplace.
2 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
16 Sep 15
very true, we cannot remove all danger, but we can do things or choose places, to help allievate some of that, like building on higher ground, or building fireproof homes. If I had land up in the firezone in cali and my house burned and I was going to rebuild, the next one would be concrete, and all kinds of fire proof, and things to help it be safe.
1 person likes this
@Butchcass4 (5895)
• United States
15 Sep 15
I choose to live where I believe the Lord has us. We do have a lake close by that if it ever flooded it may be an issue. So far so good. We've been here 6yrs this November 1. I pray that we don't experience any flooding but we do have renters insurance just in case. However, I would not live in a place were flooding is a regular thing. I wouldn't make any sense to me, but that's just my opinion.
2 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
15 Sep 15
well, we can't eliminate everything, but that sounds like a place where it's not an every year kind of thing.
1 person likes this
@sprinklesare4winners (531)
• Avenel, New Jersey
15 Sep 15
same thing i always think about places with constant tornado warnings. i guess its probably because their family is there an they have history with the area, it holds a special place in their hearts. same reason i stay here even though the cost of living is insane compared to other places in the US.
1 person likes this
@mom210 (9115)
• United States
22 Sep 15
We were making a major career change and planning a move with it. When we found out one of the possibilities was a place that often had hurricane evacuations and one had just happened, where people had to leave their homes and run off. It helped make our decision as a NO to that. I just could not even entertain the idea of packing up a few things and just leaving when they tell me to and not coming back until they tell me to, it did not seem like a good idea.
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
22 Sep 15
@mom210 yeah that would totally not work for me unless I had no other choice, that could be a nightmare!
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@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
22 Sep 15
so many things to take into consideration, like it it just the 2 of you? Easier than with kids. Plus do you have somewhere to flee too? Plus could you live in that state of readiness. You'd have to often have a go bag or something with you at all times.
1 person likes this
@mom210 (9115)
• United States
22 Sep 15
@Jessicalynnt at that time we had 4 and one was a newborn.
1 person likes this
@Marcyaz (35316)
• United States
16 Sep 15
That is like the builders building homes on top of hills and when the rains and the mud comes down go the houses. To me that is not smart at all and why rebuild in the same area when you know what is going to happen again. Some people just never learn but if it was me I would be out of that area in a heartbeat
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@styhlymessy (36)
• Manila, Philippines
16 Sep 15
I have relatives that live in Lake County. One of the towns that were affected by the valley fire. Wasn't able to sleep well over the weekend just thinking about them but good thing they are all safe. They evacuated already and are staying now at a friend's house. The sad part is they don't know if they still have a house :-( I hope we can all offer prayers for them and all the victims of the fire.
