On Nov 2, 12:03*am, wrote:
On Thu, 01 Nov 2012 23:20:14 -0400, wrote:
But the vast majority of blame should be rightly placed on:
Developers who sell waterfront housing on the beach knowing the risks.
Developers building non-hurricane approved housing.

I thought hurricane approved housing, much like earthquake approved
focused on keeping the outer shell of the building intact. Basically a
wind problem for hurricanes. But for Sandy although wind affected
trees and hence electricity supply, most of the damage was storm
surge.

Part of "hurricane proof" is building above the likely flood level.
A Florida beach house might be 14 or 15 feet off the sand

I already linked this picture in another thread but this is what
happens in a Cat 4 storm (Ike) when you build a 150 MPH rated house.
Sandy was a weak Cat 1.

*http://gfretwell.com/electrical/art....house.irpt.jpg

This a quote from: http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/09/18/ike...ouse.standing/

"Although the house is there, it might not continue to stand. Huge
storm surges walloped the interior, making it uninhabitable and
destroying many belongings. "

At this site, the text says:

"He cleaned up, rebuilt, and opened a BBQ restaurant across the
street, further planting his roots near the sea and shore that he
loves."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZQyYl8ETtY

Granted, he didn't have to start from scratch, but I wonder how much
had to be rebuilt. If you look at the house after the storm and then
again 4 years later, there has been some significant changes,
including new decking and what appear to be garages underneath.

I wonder how much of the original house was salvageable and if the new
stuff are just bolt-ons or if they were part of a major reconstruction
of the original structure.