I think catastrophies have a bigger effect on people living below the poverty line, in shanty towns, living on the street etc than they do on "small middle class community of average, middle income families". These people can always bounce back and get on their feet a lot sooner than anyone else. Typical examples were hurricane Katriona and whenever an earthquake or flood hits India, who suffers the most there, the middle class or those forced to live beside the sea?

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Better than a poke in the eye with a pointy stick any day...