OSO, Wash. — March 22 marks a solemn day in Washington history. It was 11 years ago when the Oso/SR 530 landslide occurred.

Let me begin with Zoho Sridhar Vembu’s analogy of a flash flood’s collateral damage on natural water bodies as it recedes.

With much of the country in the grip of devastating bushfires, it's hard to believe that only nine years ago much of Queensland was battling a flood crisis. Starting in November 2010, 97 communities ...