WASHINGTON — A majority of Americans believe Earth's atmosphere is heating up, but they doubt that global warming is to blame for the deadly storms that have struck the United States this hurricane season, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll.

The survey found that 56 percent believe that global warming is occurring, while 40 percent say they are not convinced. That is unchanged from an April poll.

Similar proportions doubt that global warming is to blame for this year's major hurricanes. A modest majority — 54 percent — said the bad storm season is one of those things "that happen from time to time," but 39 percent say it is the result of climate change.

Americans also are divided over whether immediate action should be taken on global climate change. Nearly half — 47 percent — said the problem must be studied further, while 41 percent said it requires "immediate government action."

RECOVERY

Corps says pumping to end by midweek

NEW ORLEANS — The Army Corps of Engineers pumped much of the remaining floodwater out of the city yesterday as tens of thousands of residents continued returning to dry neighborhoods.

An Army Corps of Engineers spokesman said the pumping of the heavily flooded Lower 9th Ward was expected to be completed by midweek.

"There will still be some isolated pools ... that aren't drained that will have to be pumped out individually," another corps spokesman said.

STORMS

MIAMI — The hurricane season's 20th tropical depression formed in the western Caribbean Sea yesterday, prompting tropical-storm warnings for Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, forecasters said.

At 5 p.m. EDT, the depression was centered about 95 miles southeast of Cozumel and was moving west at 6 mph. With sustained winds of 35 mph, it could become a named tropical storm, the National Hurricane Center said.

Meanwhile, tropical depression 19 remained no threat to land. At 5 p.m., the depression was about 685 miles west of the Cape Verde Islands and was moving north-northwest near 8 mph. Maximum sustained winds were near 35 mph.

Either depression would be named Tropical Storm Stan if it strengthens into the 18th named system of the season. The 19th would be Tammy.

Also

Three lawsuits have been filed stemming from a bus fire that killed 23 residents of a Houston-area assisted-living center and nursing home as they fled Hurricane Rita. Named in the suits was Global Limo, which operated the 1998 Motor Coach Industries bus involved in the incident, a Hidalgo County District Court clerk said.

Compiled from The Washington Post, The Associated Press and The New York Times