"So do we then say ANY concentration of people is too much of a risk and limit city size?"
People ought not to live in Seattle or anywhere in the Northwest (Mt. Rainier set to blow any time) or in California (earthquakes) or anywhere on the Gulf Coast or in Florida or the mid Atlantic coast (hurricanes). Much of Texas, the Midwest and inland Southern states are out (tornadoes). Blizzards, flooding, drought, etc., etc., in much of rest of country. I remember when there were those big floods in the Midwest a number of years ago we were told not to live near the rivers. Oh, btw, Houston has a lot of the same exposures as NO. Houston too is sinking (for different causes). So where should we live?
Live wherever you want. Just be willing to accept whatever risks that are there, be sure and plan for them, and don't expect your fellow taxpayer to bail you out if something goes wrong.
Kansas. ;)
Seriously, we should be carefull how we spend. Dont get me wrong. What about the big dig boondoogle? should we reall build tunnels underwater?
I remember standing on the earth levee in '82 and asking why they were not built stronger (conrete caps) and higher.
yeah doesn't the levees along the Trinity river pose the same hurricane risk to Houston that the Mississippi does with NO....