[Wormwood]

Think "New Orleans".

If you are claiming that your God 'smote' the Gulf for some specific reason, I'd love to hear what it is.

[harbinger of doom]

LOL. Nice inference, but that isn't the direction I'm going.
Even now, some advocate the city should not be rebuilt becuase of the lack of elevation, not because it's a 'sin-soaked' city.
Folks occupy space where weather and natural disasters happen. The world is a dangerous place. People can blame God or their realtor.