RALEIGH --  The most recent HPU Poll finds that more than one-third (38 percent) of North Carolinians say their families were directly affected by Hurricane Florence last month. Fifteen percent report having evacuated their homes.

Large proportions of North Carolina residents (61 percent) say they take evacuation notifications seriously and that there were enough notifications about the storm. Almost everyone surveyed (95 percent) says there were enough notifications about the storm.

More than three out of five (63 percent) say that the state itself was extremely well or very well prepared for the hurricane. And many North Carolina residents took it upon themselves to stock up on a number of items. Majorities of poll respondents say they made sure to buy water (80 percent), bread (70 percent) and toilet paper (57 percent). Fewer people surveyed say they stocked up on plywood or other materials to protect their homes (15 percent), beer or other alcoholic beverages (20 percent), eggs (39 percent), fruit (43 percent), or milk (47 percent).

“North Carolinians told us that they were stocked up on water and bread ahead of the storm,” says Brian McDonald, associate director of the HPU Poll and adjunct instructor of survey research methods. “With another storm approaching that could produce a lot of rain and possible flooding in the state, most polled seemed reassured that North Carolina provided enough notifications during Florence.”