The aftermath: 'It's devastating'

The "river rats" have had a tough week, and their hard work is only beginning. Stranded by floodwaters: The Wabash River remained high enough Thursday that homes between Battle Ground and Americus were islands ...

[First thought]

Now do they get to move to texas and live off the taxpayers forever?

[UGH]

They should NOT get any federal or state assistance. If they chose to live
by the river, knowing that it IS going to flood it is called buyer beware. I have no sympathy for them.

[Rem]

Makes me wonder...

Why do people choose to live in a flood zone?

Hopefully they had flood insurance. If not, it's we lucky tax payers who'll get to "assist" them.

[MEE]

Why are people allowed to continue to live in the 100 year floodplain???

[suzy q]

This story is about the people who live on the river,but many people in this area were flooded out who did not live anywhere near a river.We have a state highway still closed,at a spot 20 miles from the nearest river.The damage is widespread,and not just to people on the rivers.

[humh]

Rem wrote:

Makes me wonder...
Why do people choose to live in a flood zone?
Hopefully they had flood insurance. If not, it's we lucky tax payers who'll get to "assist" them.

I understand, I wouldn't live next to a river. But I have to pay flood insurance because I live 1 1/2 blocks from a creek. I think I am safe enough.

The problem is the people own their land, houses, garages, etc. Who are they going to sell to so they can move?

Maybe the gov't. should declare a certain area along the river uninhabitable and give them a one time assistance equal to the assessed value of the land and property. Then they would have the money to move.

If they chose to go back and live there, they shouldn't recieve the same assistance. Could work for places like New Orleans, etc. Then we would have less deaths and damage. The wetlands could come back for a buffer.

[Evansville]

UGH wrote:

They should NOT get any federal or state assistance. If they chose to live
by the river, knowing that it IS going to flood it is called buyer beware. I have no sympathy for them.

Do you feel the same about the people in New Orleans or California?

[cliff zeider]

HEy, I am 75 years old and when I was little kid growing up in Indiana we got flooded out every year. I can't recall any help from any person or government dept. We got along just fine.

[Boilermaker]

Do you have any compassion? These people have lost everything that is important to them, and the only thing that you think about is how it will affect you. Please read this article again, and put yourself in their position. I hope you are never in a similar situation.

[Thinking]

In Marion, along the Missisenewa river, there were several communities that were flooded out whenever there were heavy rains. Finally the government told the familes they had to move. The homes were assessed, and bought out, giving the residents enough money to buy another home. These were not trailer homes, they were houses that the people had raised their families in. That should be the solution for this problem too. Why stay in an area that is prone to flooding. I heard one resident on the news say that she could not aquire flood insurance from any insurance company, because she lived in a flood zone, so I imagine most of these families did not have flood insurance. I hope everything works out for them in a positive way.

[Amanda]

UGH wrote:

They should NOT get any federal or state assistance. If they chose to live
by the river, knowing that it IS going to flood it is called buyer beware. I have no sympathy for them.

I really hope you don't live close to Lake Monroe. Karma might come back to haunt you for what you said.

[Rem]

Evansville wrote:

<quoted text>
Do you feel the same about the people in New Orleans or California?

The ones that CHOOSE to live in active seismic zones, yes.

The ones that CHOOSE to live at the top of, or near the bottom of hills susecptible to mudslides, yes.

Those that CHOOSE to live in an area that is below sea level and are shocked that it flooded out when the area was hit by a Cat 5 Hurricane, yes.

Take the gamble if you wish. But to expect taxpayers to pay to rebuild your home and resupply it... That really gets my goat.

I live in Indy. This region is 100% from hurricanes. Almost 100% safe from raging wildfires. Almost 100% safe from earthquakes. My partiular area is high enough above White River to be safe from all but 1000 year flood levels. My only "gamble" is from severe weather / tornadoes. That that is why I have renter's insurance.

I pay the insurance premiums, and I expect to have to make up any difference between insurance claim money and actual replacement cost should the need arise. It is not and should not be the government's responsibility.

The onus of rebuilding should be on those that choose to live where they do.

[Rem]

Should have said "this region is 100% safe from hurricanes."

[Very Sad]

I am the one that is in this artical,I'm the one that has cried, not for what I have lost, but for all the other people that have no other homes to go to. I have seen my mothers tears, as her whole world has changed in the blink of an eye.To see what she has worked her whole life for is now gone.God Bless all the one affected by this flood.