B E B E R E

Adam G at Universal Hub brings up something that I'm sure is in the back of many a Bostonian's mind - what if we were to be hit by a category 5 hurricane?

I wouldn't be surprised if there were a major flooding problem downtown and in the Back Bay area; it is all polder, after all. How would coastal neighborhoods like Eastie or Chelsea-by-the-Sea fare?

Myself, I live on top of a hill in Somerville, MA - a little ways from the shore and a bit above sea level (approx. 12 feet), so I don't really think much on the flooding. To be honest, with the nature of what we're built on and how most stuff here is not earthquake proof, I'm more worried about that than a coastal storm.

Still, there is much to think about regarding infrastructure, social fabric, disaster recovery. Would looting or rioting be a problem? How quickly could communications and utilities be brought back if we lost them? What about public health and sanitation? Heaven forbid we'd need to evacuate: how difficult would that be here?

Not pleasant things to think about, no.