MovieChat Forums > Earthquake (1974) Discussion > what kind of idiot....

what kind of idiot....

posted 12 years ago by danisdabomb
6 replies | jump to latest

would build and live in a house in front of a dam? Especially in earthquake country?

[–] Elsa_C 11 years ago

Well, lots of people in southern California live right next to dams and the chances of anything happening are teeny, even with big earthquakes. It's just as dumb as living below sea level in hurricane country, which millions of people do. Proportionately the chances of your home being destroyed in either instance are pretty miniscule.

[–] ec1979 11 years ago

Exactly, Elsa....and people rebuild in the same spot after a hurricane trashes their house, with federal aid. Dams are monitored on a daily basis and the ones built in earthquake country are built to withstand shaking. If they did break, they would crack first, allowing time to evacuate. Even the Jonestown dam break had plenty if warning, which the people in charge of the dam chose to ignore.

[–] eolloe 11 years ago

Proportionately the chances of your home being destroyed in either instance are pretty miniscule.

Yeah, that's true for a given day or in a given year. But the risks of a disaster eventually occurring aren't so miniscule.

[–] Swissangel4616 11 years ago

Maybe the dam was build after the houses?

[–] prbronx5 11 years ago

Well the dam actually exists and their are very expensive homes pretty much in it's path. It's wanting to live in a high end area. I'm sure the insurance is astronomical.

[–] phoenixandrew 11 years ago

That's what I'm wondering myself. After the Sylmar/San Fernando earthquake in 1971, the Van Norman Dam was threatening to break apart. 80,000 in the immediate area had to be evacuated. The dam never burst though.