Why do people stay put during storms?

Here's what psychology says of the thinking that leaves people unprepared for natural and financial disasters

Residents preparing to board up the windows of a home in North Carolina, less than two days before Hurricane Florence is expected to strike. The key to better preparedness for disasters is not to eliminate cognitive biases, but rather to design prepa
Residents preparing to board up the windows of a home in North Carolina, less than two days before Hurricane Florence is expected to strike. The key to better preparedness for disasters is not to eliminate cognitive biases, but rather to design preparedness measures that anticipate them. PHOTO: EPA-EFE
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When Hurricane Florence finally arrives, thousands of residents will find themselves unprepared. Many will find their homes flooded, only to discover they don't carry flood insurance. More will be facing days or weeks without electrical power and insufficient supplies.

Some will have chosen not to evacuate despite warnings to do so and may lose their lives because of these mistakes.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on September 14, 2018, with the headline Why do people stay put during storms?. Subscribe