I found this article insightful, and also a little reflective of what we're talking about in the "VENTING -- Some things you can never prepare for" thread. It speaks to the complacency we humans tend to develop, even after large-scale disasters, a sort of "It hasn't happened for a while so the threat must be gone" mentality.

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/03/2011325112137360914.html

"...not every small town has a long memory... the lessons Yoshihama leaned over a century ago take a while to learn.

"Of course in the short term, the lesson is to build on high ground," said Yokoishi, pointing out that not every town has the same sense of history.

"But in the long term, maybe 10 or 20 years, people will forget and ... they will build by the sea."