The Why Factor

When Hurricanes’ Harvey and Irma made landfall in America, hitting Houston and Florida respectively, people who lived in the predicted paths of these devastating storms faced an agonising choice – should they leave their homes or stay put. The Authorities and news media were warning people about the dangers of the storms, yet despite that some people decided to stay. Shivaani Kohok asks why, when natural disaster is imminent, do some people decide not to leave? The reliability of warnings about the storm – and previous experiences – explains why some people do not heed official advice or instructions, according to Judith Fox, from the University of Denver, Colorada. On the slopes of Mount Etna, Chiara Vigo has a vineyard which in 1981 was almost destroyed by a fast-moving eruption – the lava flow stopped metres short of the property. She explains why how she and her husband have restarted wine production – and how the family feel about living and working on the slopes of an active volcano. They have no option but to stay put. (Image: Florida prepares for Hurricane Irma, Credit: Getty Images)