Someone referenced that and I agree. We have low ground houses and towns on the west coast of Oregon as well, mostly built on sand with higher ground just inland. Here though when they get washed out or inundated by weather we're inclined to say something about what did they expect and frankly I say the same about the east coast. I see all those houses on the Carolina outer banks, for example, and they're wonderful along the lines of "It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye."

When I lived aboard several years in Astoria OR we saw big wind storms and rains....but NOT like the rains of Irene....every fall. I slept aboard at the dock in winds measured one time at 105 mph by the coasties just across the bay and many storms of fifty, sixty mph sustained. Boats and finger docks broke loose all the time, shingles flying through the air like slices of houses. We had more than our share of 40' boats tied up with 3/8" poly rope. We saw whole forests blown down by gusts, etc.

But it's pretty much true that the entire eastern seaboard is low ground and much more vulnerable. It's a damned miracle.....figuratively, NOT being a religious guy....more damage isn't done. Add to that the sort of semi tropical nature of the low ground with Gulf Stream influence carrying warm water high up the coast and it's a whole different world from the west coast. IMHO.....other opinions may vary.

The real news is the incredible apparent belief that it won't happen to me..as a species.