[tweetiepooh]

If homes do need to be built where it floods them maybe they do need to learn from places that have the same issue and build using "stilts" or other forms of raising the structure.

Anyone who has lived abroad knows that infrastructure and structures are built to suit conditions. So they have big storm drains because rain usually falls in short but heavy bursts so need to clear it away quickly. Houses are built above ground level so not damaged by the flooding that will happen.

We live in a more temperate climate hence any major deviation causes chaos and demands from those affected. Snow, wind, rain, drought whatever, we are just not equipped to cope with extremes that only happen very infrequently in any single area. And people don't want to spend huge amounts on things that may not happen. As already mentioned if millions (more likely much more than that) were spent to protect and the event didn't happen then people would complain that they misspent it.
(Look at the Y2K issue - I was part of a coding team to fix Y2K issues for a hospital so I know it was a real problem - millions were spent to prevent problems and when the problems didn't happen people complain it was spent for naught and that was to fix a one time event that would have caused real issues. Same mentality. Even if the defences were needed someone would say too much was spent because it worked too well.)