Survey finds many in La. reject evacuation option BATON ROUGE, LA. (AP) (wrkf) - Despite the devastation of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, a Harvard University survey shows that a large number of coastal residents still say they would refuse to evacuate if another hurricane zeroes in on the state.

Researchers called 5,055 people who live in a county or parish within 20 miles of the coast in eight states including Louisiana and Mississippi.

The survey shows that in most areas, Louisiana residents are better prepared than the residents of the other seven states.

At the same time, the survey shows that Louisiana's residents are also more worried than the respondents in the other seven states about problems they might have during and after another hurricane.

In Louisiana, 17 percent of the respondents said they would not evacuate if the government said they had to because another major hurricane was headed toward the state. And 15 percent said they believe they would be safer if they stayed in their homes rather than evacuate. © Copyright 2009, wrkf