I'm especially worried for the people (homeowners) without flood insurance.

Regular homeowners insurance does not cover damage from flooding. There is federally subsidized flood insurance available at very affordable prices, but most people outside the most flood-prone areas do not ususally buy any. Indeed, most folks don't even know about it.

If you own a home in a "flood plain" (as defined by FEMA), and if you have a mortgage, your lender will require that you maintain flood insurance. If you own your home outright (even in the lowest-lying areas), no one is forcing you to maintain ANY kind of insurance coverage.

I saw an interview a few mornings ago with the couple who owned a very large and very new "dream house" on a riverbank in Wisconsin Dells, WI, a house which appeared repeatedly on national TV being completely washed away, down the riverbank and right on downstream. Their location was NOT on the list of flood-prone areas, so they (very understandably) had no flood insurance. They lost their entire house and all its contents, and the homeowners policy they've been paying all along won't do them much, if any, good. They're screwed, and they're not the only ones.

Those of us who are still trying to recover from the 2005 flood in New Orleans and environs have plenty of empathy for these most recent flood victims. There are differences between our situations, but the similarities are the most important thing. I have no doubt that when it's time for volunteer groups to pitch in and help to jump-start the recovery up there, our area will be well-represented.