I lied in St. Thomas, VI, for about a year, where the weather is extreme… tornados, hurricanes, drought, you name it… and earthquakes! It was the law there at the time that all homes be built over a cistern, with water catchment from the roof. And, the houses had to literally be strapped down, from bedrock, over the roof, and back down to bedrock, to prevent gale-force winds from knocking them over. Greeks, Romans, Nabateans (who built Petra) all had this down! :D