Would you rather live in Hurricane country or Earthquake country?

[Anonymous]

DH and I discussing possible moves. He thinks hurricanes are terrible because they are getting increasingly worse with environmental changes and they happen constantly. I feel that earthquakes are worse because you have no warning and can't plan for them. I feel that I can plan for an impending hurricane and evacuate. He feels that earthquakes happen less frequently and you could live in CA for years and never be severely affected by them.

Disregarding all other factors (I don't want this to be a FL vs. CA discussion) would you prefer to live somewhere where there are earthquakes or hurricanes. Would that change if where you lived in hurricane country was mainland or island requiring boat or plane to leave?

[Anonymous]

Neither!

Isn’t this the obvious choice???

[Anonymous]

100% hurricane. It’s no question.

[Anonymous]

Hurricane for sure

[Anonymous]

Ive lived in hurricane country (Houston) and it’s no fun. Damage is expensive and hurricane insurance is a separate policy. My family lives in Fl and I believe hurricane insurance is mandatory, making housing costs even more expensive.

Personally, I love Houston and would go back despite hurricanes (select house in no-flood zone) but keep in mind that hurricane season is annual and lasts a few months. You will definitely get a hurricane living in Fl. In fact, you’ll probably live through a lot of them. Not sure that earthquakes in CA hit with same frequency

And no, evacuating is not fast. You usually sit in traffic for hours or days trying to get out

[Anonymous]

Earthquake for me. It would affect you maybe once in a lifetime. But, if you are looking at Cali, also be careful of wildfire areas or other natural disasters like mudslides.)

I could tolerate hurricane country, but never on an island

[Anonymous]

I've lived in Florida and California. Earthquakes. So much less drama about them. They take up so much less time and thought.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ive lived in hurricane country (Houston) and it’s no fun. Damage is expensive and hurricane insurance is a separate policy. My family lives in Fl and I believe hurricane insurance is mandatory, making housing costs even more expensive.

Personally, I love Houston and would go back despite hurricanes (select house in no-flood zone) but keep in mind that hurricane season is annual and lasts a few months. You will definitely get a hurricane living in Fl. In fact, you’ll probably live through a lot of them. Not sure that earthquakes in CA hit with same frequency

And no, evacuating is not fast. You usually sit in traffic for hours or days trying to get out

Going to add that I know a lot of people who’ve lost homes due to floods from hurricane. Not just smaller housing below sea level but big homes that they thought would t be touched. I think your DH is right here

[Anonymous]

Simple. Having only those two options. Hurricanes. Here is why:

You have much greater chance of survival in Hurricane country.
Hurricanes come with early warnings.
You can have a home with rooms designed to be hurricane safe, even just having a basement makes it almost guaranteed for you to survive.
You can follow the alerts and act in a timely manner. Or at least there is some chance.
Much greater survival rate as a victim since the hurricane passes and does not come back, making rescue efforts much more effective.
Floods can happen but that is another question, you did not ask for hurricane in a flood area. So I am thinking dry land.



Earthquakes often take you completly by surprise.
Earthquakes affect much greater areas .. usually.
No matter where you are you are not safe, home, work, road, a random place.
Aftershocks can make recovery efforts very difficult and they diminish survival of the victims.
Hurricanes do not have afterhuricanes within hours or a day or so.
There are often fires and explosions following earthquakes because the underground infrastructure can
experience cracks and cause lots of leaks.
The devastation of the earthquake is usually greater then a hurricane in terms of how the force shatters things into pieces.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've lived in Florida and California. Earthquakes. So much less drama about them. They take up so much less time and thought.

You have never lived through a real earthquake. You had time to evacuate when the hurricane is coming. lots of time.

[Anonymous]

For me it would depend on where in earthquake country. I think the heinous damage of highways and buildings of the past has been somewhat remedied through building codes. I think I would opt for most any place in CA but San Francisco, which seems like the most dangerous.

I have friends in the panhandle of Florida, with several homes, and they have constant damage from hurricanes. Friend in Houston generally gets by without the huge damage, but that is due to his house being up from the flood plains. But he literally watches the water come right up to the threshold.

[Anonymous]

I’ll take two hurricanes a year over the possibility of an earthquake at any time.

I grew up Manteo, NC, and I’ve ridden out more hurricanes than I can remember growing up, and later in life because of what I do for a living. Hurricanes are predictable, they give you warning, and you can prepare for them or leave. There’s wind, there’s flooding, there’s power outages/interruptions for a couple weeks, but all that stuff can be planned for ahead of time. Unless you get a truly direct-hit from a legit Cat 4-5 storm, most of the time damage is minor or even nothing on a well-made home.

I remember the earthquake we had here, and that was something I’d never encountered before, and freaked me the F out, even though it was relatively minor. Having never experienced one before, it is not something I ever want to go through again.

[Anonymous]

I have actually been grappling with this issue lately. i pick earthquake, but only outside the tsunami zone and only in a region where buildings have undergone earthquake reinforcement.

Hurricane zone + week long power outages + alligators = a no go zone for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have actually been grappling with this issue lately. i pick earthquake, but only outside the tsunami zone and only in a region where buildings have undergone earthquake reinforcement.

Hurricane zone + week long power outages + alligators = a no go zone for me.

Alligators aren’t a cause for concern. Seriously. They’re not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have actually been grappling with this issue lately. i pick earthquake, but only outside the tsunami zone and only in a region where buildings have undergone earthquake reinforcement.

Hurricane zone + week long power outages + alligators = a no go zone for me.

Alligators aren’t a cause for concern. Seriously. They’re not.

Have watched too many nature shows. All that hurricane flooding in people’s yards are just nature’s highway for hungry alligator looking for a human snack.