Originally Posted By: Arney
Actually, if we use the logic of avoiding deaths, we should mass evacuate people for heat waves when they pop up in unexpected areas (e.g. Chicago) or are extreme. Over the years, heat is the number one killer of people, not hurricanes.


Right you are: http://io9.com/5803268/chart-reveals-what-natural-disaster-is-most-likely-to-kill-you-in-america . The most surprising thing I learned is that California is safer than the Midwest in terms of death from natural disasters.

Heat death is easily avoidable -- if you can afford air conditioning and you don't have to work outside. Evacuations for heat emergencies are (at least, in some areas) replaced with warnings and opening cooling centers.