What are the Psychological Effects of a Disastrous Hurricane on its Victims?
Two LSU researchers are studying the effects of disasters on people — in particular, they have looked at hurricanes and how people react in the wake of a storm that has destroyed their property and their communities. They study why people do or do not evacuate and who the victims relied upon when they had nowhere else to turn. Husband and wife team: — John Beggs, associate professor, LSU Department of Sociology, 225-388-1119, beggs@lapop.lsu.edu . — Jeanne Hurlbert, associate professor, LSU Department of Sociology, 225-388-3311, jhurlbert@lapop.lsu.edu . What to do if Hurricane Winds or Storm Surge Cause a Hazardous Chemical Leak? This researcher studies the possibilities of a hazardous-materials crisis that could occur during a hurricane — for example, how to respond if high winds or storm surge cause chemical-plant leaks or water contamination. His Web sites are at http://hurricane.lsu.edu and http://risk.lsu.edu . — John Pine, associate professor, LSU Institute for Environmenta