Every single outlet in my office is upsidedown so we're getting surge protectors for our outlets to use instead. Why would they be installed like this?
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That's why I would fight tooth and nail against anyone who says that the ground is supposed to be up... even though the NEC doesn't specifically say it does, it's quite obvious that most manufacturers of outlets assume you would install it with the ground being down (words are right side up when in the orientation) and of course most manufacturers of appliances have their plugs lined up a certain way that would work best when the outlet has the ground being down.
Water intrusion (flood, slow rise) in the house would also be another reason for the ground plug down. I want the water to touch a ground before it touches a live wire. Where the water would likely eventually become energized the path of current should prefer the ground line over the water. I would imagine there are still serious dangers even of the ground wire makes contact first. Water obviously conducts electricity so there is definitely still a danger.
Had an experience once building some custom medical device equipment that mimicked that exact scenario.