Skimping on Rebuilding Standards Is Another Disaster 4/24/2006
The centennial observance of the Great San Francisco Earthquake and the rebuilding of New Orleans have some eerie similarities: There was total destruction in large parts of both cities from a natural disaster, the rebuilding efforts tried to prevent the same kind destruction in the future and there was a curious belief that if you prepare for a 100-year event, it somehow will not happen for 100 years.
San Francisco was destroyed at 5:13 a.m. on April 18, 1906, following a magnitude 8.3 earthquake. New Orleans was destroyed on Aug. 29, 2005 by a category three hurricane. In both cases, everyone had known for years that there was a natural danger, but in many ways ignored it.