ー英会話講師の英語日記ー　札幌英会話スクールSTEP UP（札幌駅、大通駅徒歩５分）

Dangerous Places to Live

2018年7月8日 (日)

I have been thinking about the volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii, and all of the houses that have been destroyed. While I do feel sorry for anyone who loses their home in a disaster, I also wish the government in America would do more to keep people from living in dangerous places. In much of America, flooding is a more common problem than volcanoes. Over 1,000,000 people in the US live in high-risk areas and have flood insurance which is subsidized by the government. Many more live in these areas and have no insurance, but are still covered by disaster relief programs after they experience flooding. Because they have taxpayer support, many people choose to live in dangerous areas, and as a result, the government spends huge amounts of money every year to allow them to make bad choices.

In contrast, after the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, the Japanese government designated some areas as being too dangerous to use. I’m sure some people feel sad that they have to leave their ancestral homes, but this policy protects both residents and taxpayers from future risks. I would never build a house near an active volcano, and I don’t think the people in Hawaii should be allowed to rebuild after this eruption has finished.