[muawiyah]

Pretty much the case. Remember the areas filled with water making it look like suburban developments in the middle of lakes? Where I grew up that's normal. Happens quite regularly. Unless you live at the top of a hill you build your house up on elevated foundation ~ maybe four or five feet ~ whatever it takes.

And keep canned goods in your pantry.

Did some checking on the NY/NJ Climate and there's a clue about why this area has so many millions of people ~ first off, disasters don't happen often, certainly not annually. Secondly, they have a subway system, lots of rail, that sort of thing.

So, when the disaster ultimately arrives and they have to live like other Americans they find out they are simply not prepared, and they drop to their knees and wail.

They probably do imagine there's an invisible godlike being called 'government' that's there to help them ~ like it helps everybody else, but that's not how it works.

This is the part of the world that keeps Wal-Mart out so no underwear for them!

[Eva]

My guess is that many of these destroyed residences were not owner occupied. There is no rush to get the places fixed because the owners are waiting for the insurance settlement.

[Roccus]

Did some checking on the NY/NJ Climate and there's a clue about why this area has so many millions of people ~ first off, disasters don't happen often, certainly not annually. Secondly, they have a subway system, lots of rail, that sort of thing.

Commerce is why the NYC area has so many people....going back to colonial times. It has an emense safe harbor that was easily defensable at the Narrows, Governor's Island and the Batterty and in which goods were easily barged around. Once the Erie Canal was completed, loooooong before subways existed, the Greater NY area's fate was sealed as a commercial and population center.
First there was the commerce. Then came the people to service the commerce. THEN came the subways to service the people.