Originally Posted by Laurel:
I'm not saying California isn't appealing (although I've never been there) but some day it is gonna get the big one I'm afraid. Otherwise, I'd love to visit. 
I'm in Florida and we did get a big hurricane with many deaths (Andrew). I didn't live here then but heard that there hadn't been a hurricane here in a long time so the regulations got lax as far as building codes, etc. Now in a place like Haiti who seems to get them every year, then I'd say that is a bad area for them and wouldn't live there. Also, they are a poor country and probably can't afford the safer construction/hurricane grade windows, etc. So I think it would be hard to make a blanket statement as far as deaths as there are many variables with hurricanes. Maybe not so much with tornados but, even then, there are variables like if the area has warning sirens or not.
Hurricane Katrina passed through my neighborhood before moving onto Louisana but it was just getting started and we just got weather compared to a bad thunderstorm. Then Wilma hit us pretty good. Maybe a category 2/3, can't remember. That one was a little scary. We lost electric for a week, a backyard full of trees down. Almost every telephone pole snapped (they are cement here). We were pretty lucky but my friend a few streets away had someone's patio roof blow off and lodge into her roof. Then when the hurricane switched directions like they do it came out and left a gaping hole with rain pouring in. She said if the patio roof would have stayed there it would have been fine as it plugged up the hole it made. 
It was expensive but little by little year by year we finally have all hurricane windows and doors. It is gonna be soooo nice not to have to board up. What a pain!
Laurel
P.S. Hey wait, we have Mickey Mouse too!!! 
And what is this mountain you speak of? We are completely flat. There is a small grade by our neighborhood quickie mart and I have to explain to the kiddies that it is kind of like a hill as they only see snow and hills in books!
seriosuly we just had another one as I was writing this!
omg
I can quickly say that the mountains that I was talking about are the san gabriel mountains, sierras, now i got to go
I don't want to be sitting by this fireplace in case of aftershock