Many people didn't leave New Orleans because they had no way to leave other than on foot, and sheriffs from neighboring areas over higher ground formed armed blockades preventing people from New Orleans entering these outlying areas. Others didn't leave because they figured it wouldn't be such a bad storm, and because New Orleansians are notoriously stubborn and prideful about such things.

That said, over 80% of New Orleans did evacuate. I would image a smaller percent of Houstonians evacuated than that, and the evacuation order in Houston was only mandatory for those in floodplain areas. Anyway, it makes perfect sense for more people to pay heed to hurricane evacuations only weeks after a major hurricane devastated another nearby area.

Also, Hurricane Rita has been downgraded to Cat 3 and is continuing to weaken. It's also likely not going to make a direct hit on Galveston or Houston, but hit between Galveston and Port Arthur. Of course, who knows what will happen until it does.

<b>Finally, we do have a discussion of the hurricane in the EotW forum, and those of you who are unable to see that forum miss out on that discussion, such as it is.</b>