Pay people to seek higher ground

There is a strong desire for more U.S infrastructure development in order to compete better internationally with powers like China. Chinese infrastructure has reached greater heights with the building of the world’s highest railway from China to Tibet.

There also is a strong need for infrastructure and housing rebuilds due to ravaging damaging natural disasters. Recent hurricane damages have been unprecedented.

Both of these come amid a scary increasing recordsetting national debt approaching $21 trillion.

The effects of waterrelated disasters are compounded by some sufferers claiming billions of dollars of damages by federal and state water releases from storm-swollen reservoirs, and also by the National Flood Insurance Program, which is $25 billion in debt.

It has been suggested that billions of dollars proposed for rebuilding after devastating hurricanes and future similar disasters won’t protect against future weather emergencies, or mitigate the damage they cause. (“Now, let’s get busy fixing the nation’s infrastructure,” Ann McFeatters op-ed, Sept. 5)

Sympathy must be extended to those suffering in disaster-hit areas, where many live due to family roots, employment opportunities or health reasons.

Disaster-prone areas should not have serious development. And to reduce rebuild spending, incentives could be offered to families for them relocate because that cost should be far less than long-term repetitive rebuilding. Of course, the roles and probable costs of public and private insurance (which likely increase with disaster frequency) and their affordability, must be considered.

And some disasteraffected people are likely to decide on their own to seek new lives elsewhere.

Historically, people have migrated due to famine, disease and wars. Formal government programs to encourage people to relocate from potential disaster areas should be considered, reducing the likelihood of repeatedly wasting rebuild money in the long term.

Bill Allman Columbus