I have a suggestion. Maybe we should put together a legal team (US has an overabundance of attorneys, I´m sure they´d be interested) and let´s sue nature. Maybe if we teach her a lesson there won´t be any more floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, high temperatures, low temperatures, droughts, etc., etc. If we´re going to point a finger, let´s point it at the real culprit.

 True, but the Netherlands does nothave to content with the Atlantic Hurrican Season.....and your government constantly works to maintain the integrity of the dike system.  Our government doesn´t even take care of the bridges in our country!  A huge percentage of them are failing!

Most these tragedies are not because of natural phenomenon, but man´s inadequate preparation and response to it. 

Why are permits for building in flood plains given?  Why are wooden buildings build in well known fire zones?  Most these disasters are because of human negligence or worse?  Why do inspector pass shoddy construction?..........I think we know.......

+++ In CA we have some serious problems our levee system.  I sure wish they would FIX them!

When I lived in NYC and went down FDR Drive and looked at the rusting supports, it made me very nervous.

Alameda...Dont be so naive; this is not only incompetence or negligence.

The man, who as the Mayor of Istanbul experienced a very similar disaster to this one, and comperable in scale in 1994, is now the Priminister of Turkia.

He should know the answers to all your questions. His 20 year old sun recently bought a cargo ship, and his wife is starting the biggest hospital chain Turkia has ever seen.

They are all downright bright geniuses....What do you say?

Hot water reatment strongly recommended.

This is exactly why I don´t trust ANY government to "help" me with anything!  They are all more interested in their own self interests and getting re-elected or making money....etc.  In my eyes, this is just the sad truth. 

I don´t necessarily agree with you. Yes, sometimes the preparation and prevention is not adequate and the death toll is much higher than necessary (e.g. Katrina). And I understand the just indignation at the negligence. But many a times no matter how good the preparation is, nature still claims her victims.

Having lived in Florida for many years, I´ve been thru my share of hurricanes, the worst of them hurricane Charlie in Punta Gorda. The Emergency Preparadness there (Charlotte County) is one of the best in the country. And yet still there were deaths. Some people died because of their stupidity - one guy went outside to smoke a cigarette in the midst of category IV hurricane  . Some people don´t evacuate or don´t secure their houses adequately. But ALL of them know that they live in a state that is in the potential path of a hurricane and it is a risk they are taking in exchange of nice weather and beaches. Bottom line is, if you want to be safe from hurricanes, move to Wisconsin. By the same token, being flooded is a risk a person takes when they chose to live in a flood-prone area.

We are the government Elisabeth.  I would rather not have private entities that are not transparant deal with things.  At least government is answerable to the people.  It is up to us, the citizens to watch them and hold them responsible.

 You are so much more idealistic and hopeful than I am, alameda.  I know what you are saying is supposed to be true but it simply doesn´t work that way in real life, at least as far as I can tell. 

Exactly!!! Private corporate tyrannies don´t even need to care about anything but their own profit, and they do it at any cost! (even if that means killing people, destroying the environment...)

There are some social issues that only a government can take care of, and in a functioning democracy, the government is responsible for its actions. Unfortunately, we can´t say that about the system in the US... people are apathetic and the government does not even care what people think!

It is also about transparancy.  Private businesses, corporations, do not have to disclose things to the public.  Private corporations are opaque.  Government has to keep books open.  You know who is responsible for what.  Thus they can be help accountable.

The issue is one of accountability.