How do people survive this?

We were flooded out for 6 months and that was bad enough. How awful for those people but better safe than sorry. It brings back memories of Grenville Tower. All because of failings in checking buildings and materials.

Accidents do happen but this was probably avoidable.

It is such a tragic story. The story of the firefighter who waited at the scene till they brought out his child was unbearable.

Because they have no alternative. Refugees fleeing their countries for fear of war and death, face far greater challenges.

I am frequently amazed at how resilient people are. I've never had to cope with real tragedy, life hasn't always been easy but I've always managed to get through OK. I have no idea how I'd cope in a situation like that though and I guess no-one knows how they'll react until it happens. One of my daughter's friends had to endure the most dreadful family tragedy in the midst of her "A" levels. She was a quiet rather immature girl but the resilience and character that she demonstrated whilst supporting her mother was incredible and she still managed to get excellent results and was able to go to the uni of her choice. The situation was on-going for several years but she never wavered. I have so much respect for her!

You're right, M0nica.

The loss of life must be far more shocking than the loss of possessions. Those who escaped know it could easily have been them.

I think of the wealthy Jewish families who ended up in the concentration camps, whose apparently secure way of life, and family, was destroyed so quickly.

My grandmother's house and contents were destroyed in the Blitz, we lived in South London. Then her next door neighbours lootedwhat was left in the ruins, as she discovered later.

She survived, neither she nor her daughter who were in the house at the time were injured. Her house was rebuilt and she had a grant towards replacing what she lost. I still have some of her furniture, bought after the war.

I can't imagine and hope to never find out how it feels to lose your home in such a catastrophic way or to have a loved one missing. Surely there must be a major inquiry into this as a survey a few years ago listed the major defects in the swimming pool and concrete support columns. It seems that nothing was done to rectify that. We have seen the devastation shoddy building and cutting corners on materials can have on a tower block in our own country with Grenfell Towers.