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One in Five Americans Have Evacuated Home Facing Natural Disaster

One in Five Americans Have Evacuated Home Facing Natural Disaster

Southern residents almost three times as likely as rest of country

by David W. Moore

GALLUP NEWS SERVICE

The latest CNN/USA Today/Gallup survey finds that 19% of all Americans have evacuated their homes at some time in their lives because of a hurricane or other natural disaster. But that percentage is much higher among people residing in the South (33%) than it is among people who live in the rest of the country (12%). There are only small variations among people living in the East (10% have evacuated their homes), the Midwest (14%), and the West (12%).

Have you, personally, ever evacuated your home because you were in the path of a hurricane or other natural disaster, or not?

Yes, have

%

All

19

East

10

Midwest

14

South

33

West

12

While the vast majority of Americans say they would evacuate their homes if their homes were in the path of a natural disaster, 11% say they would not. That number varies only marginally among various subgroups, except that frequent church-goers are much less likely than infrequent church attendees to say they would stay -- 5% vs. 14%, respectively.

If you were living in the path of a hurricane or other major natural disaster, would you be more likely to -- [ROTATED: evacuate your home (or) stay in your home]?

Stay

%

All

11

Attend church weekly

5

Attend nearly weekly/monthly

12

Attend seldom/never

14

The poll also shows that about a third of Americans, 32%, are skeptical that the federal government is prepared for Hurricane Wilma's impact in Florida. Skepticism is higher among Democrats (43%) than among independents (34%) or Republicans (19%).

As you may know, Hurricane Wilma is expected to hit Florida. Based on what you have heard or read, do you think the federal government is prepared or not prepared to handle the damage that this hurricane will cause?

Prepared

Not
prepared

DEPENDS
(vol.)

No opinion

%

%

%

%

All

65

32

1

2

Republicans

79

19

1

1

Independents

64

34

1

1

Democrats

53

43

2

2

(vol). = Volunteered response

Most Americans believe that global warming has been at least a minor cause of the number and strength of hurricanes in recent years, with 36% saying it is a major cause. This issue is also highly related to party affiliation. Only 25% of Republicans say global warming is a major cause, compared with 48% of Democrats. Similarly, 44% of Republicans say global warming has nothing to do with the hurricanes, while only 12% of Democrats hold that view.

Thinking about the increase in the number and strength of hurricanes in recent years, do you think global warming has been a major cause, a minor cause, or not a cause of the increase in hurricanes?

Major
cause

Minor
cause

Not a
cause

No
opinion

%

%

%

%

All

36

29

30

5

Republicans

25

28

44

3

Independents

34

26

34

6

Democrats

48

34

12

6

The poll also explored how Americans react to the danger reporters face when covering hurricanes in evacuated areas. The public is divided on whether these reporters perform a valuable public service or are taking unnecessary risks.

Which comes closer to your view of these reporters -- [ROTATED: they are performing a valuable public service (or) they are taking unnecessary risks?

BASED ON 512 NATIONAL ADULTS IN FORM A

Performing valuable
public service

Taking
unnecessary risks

No
opinion

2005 Oct 21-23

44%

52

4

The public is less supportive of reporters who broadcast "live from outdoors in the middle of a hurricane." Only 21% say those actions are worth the risk, while 77% say they are not.

Do you think the information reporters provide when they broadcast live from outdoors in the middle of a hurricane is worth the risk to their safety, or not?

BASED ON 496 NATIONAL ADULTS IN FORM B

Worth
the risk

Not worth
the risk

No
opinion

2005 Oct 21-23

21%

77

2

Survey Methods

Results are based on telephone interviews with 1,008 national adults, aged 18 and older, conducted Oct. 21-23, 2005. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error is ±3 percentage points.

For results based on the 512 national adults in the Form A half-sample and 496 national adults in the Form B half-sample, the maximum margins of sampling error are ±5 percentage points.

In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.


Gallup https://news.gallup.com/poll/19381/One-Five-Americans-Evacuated-Home-Facing-Natural-Disaster.aspx
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