With our hearts still heavy as we watch the ongoing epic disaster in central Texas – the flooding and rampaging Guadalupe River – it is not too early to ask the tough questions, even though we still wipe the tears of empathy that make us human.
Although this is clearly not the time for political opportunism or claws-out defense – and shame on any of us who engage in it now – it is highly appropriate, actually necessary, to set ourselves on that path when the time comes. We can wait no longer.
As of this writing, 129 deaths have been confirmed with the count of the missing topping 170. Many of them were innocent children or teens with the entire 21st century – if not more – in front of them. Gone.
But this is not the first time the Guadalupe River has swollen, created damage, and claimed lives. Same thing for so many other sites around the country, Simple as this next question is, it’s the first e must answer
Why rebuild?
Why do we insist on rebuilding where tragedy will surely strike again? Here’s an indisputable lesson we’ve been given by The Netherlands – over and over again. Had we listened and acted 72 years ago, weld likely be free of the anguish of this past week – and hundreds more like it.
The Disaster of 1953 and Its Lessons
On January 31, 1953, an unusually angry and massive storm arose from the North Sea, striking the southwest region of The Netherlands. For two full days, that area of the country suffered a beating like never before or since. One-third of the country lies below sea level and this is it. Here was the toll (The Netherlands’ population was 10,3 million, packed into an area about the size of New Jersey).
Losses
When all was said and done, 9% of the total land area was flooded, 47,000 buildings were damaged and 10,000 were totally destroyed. More than 30,000 livestock perished and worst of all was the human toll: 70,000 evacuations and 1,836 killed. The scope!
Disaster Lesson #1
Don’t rebuild. Mother Nature will rage again, for sure. Since the Dutch disaster 72 years ago, 51 category 3, 4, and 5 hurricanes have made landfall in the U.S. – and we have rebuilt after every single one. Countless other storms, not only hurricanes, fill out this picture, The Dutch? Once was enough, thank you, and that land, now bolstered by dikes, has been used for grazing and research. It is also environmentally kind. No more losses, no more deaths.
Disaster Lesson #2
Prevent all future disasters No sooner than the Dutch reached the decision not to rebuild, they thought long into the future to envision what would be the most the most extensive, most elaborate engineering project in human history: The Delta Works, a series of locks, sluices, levees, and other wonders that actually control Mother Nature when she gets upset, Nothing kike ever did or likely will equate. And to round out the future vision of this project, planning and construction of it is still going on. Take some time to research it if you can’t visit it like I did years ago.
Leadership Lessons
And so, as we continue to grieve collectively, it is not too early to ask these questions and be willing to learn these lessons