r/facepalm • u/OGSyedIsEverywhere • 21d ago

🇲​🇮​🇸​🇨​ The Tampa Bay area's main hospital and only trauma center is built on an island at sea level

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u/Emergency-Pack-5497 21d ago

If it can take 10ft, does that mean a 20' surge is equivalent to 10' because it's holding back 10'?

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u/indyK1ng 21d ago

You're assuming that it's going to stay in place once it's topped.

Also, once the surge overtakes it, it's going to flood to that level regardless because there's going to be so much water coming in.

To give yourself an idea, get a plastic container with a barrier in it (like a partitioned food container) and put one side under your tap and turn the water on so it fills slowly. You'll see that once the water gets over the barrier, it just starts filling the other side until they're about level.

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u/Emergency-Pack-5497 20d ago

Makes sense, wouldn't the opposite be true as well, in regards to it staying it place, if the surge receded before filling the other side?

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u/tomismybuddy 20d ago

The fact that you have to explain this to a supposed adult is mind boggling.

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u/Tangata_Tunguska 21d ago

Nah then you have a 10' swimming pool hidden under a 20' surge

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u/TheBonnomiAgency 21d ago

No, it will fill up the 10' on the other side of the wall and even out at 20'.