That might seem like a rhetorical question, but it deserves a serious answer.  Here are two:

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1. A reporter who covered Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans recounted the following story: "I was standing thigh-deep in polluted flood water, interviewing a survivor outside the stadium. As a stray dog paddled past us, it took a sip from the fetid water.  A few moments later it went into spasms and died, right there in front of us."  

This story is an object lesson in why we need to clean up our properties BEFORE a flood hits, and why abandoned properties must be cleaned of toxics ASAP.  Think of all the toxic substances in a typical garage that nobody should drink or get on their skin.

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2.  Natural vegetation absorbs storm energy and protects urban areas from the direct impacts of hurricanes and floods. Most trees grow better when the concrete is cleared away and clean topsoil is present.