WASHINGTON -- Their confidence shaken by Katrina, most Americans don't believe the nation is ready for another major disaster, a new AP-Ipsos poll finds.

Poor people are more likely to fear becoming victims of the next disaster.

The survey, conducted one year after the devastating hurricane and with much of New Orleans still in shambles, found diminishing faith in the government's ability to deal with emergencies. It also gave President Bush poor marks for his handling of the storm's aftermath.

The region could get an eerily timed test of preparedness with forecasters concerned that Ernesto could be at hurricane strength as it crosses over Cuba and heads across the Florida Keys this week.

Fifty-seven percent in the poll said they felt at least somewhat strongly the country was ill-prepared -- up from 44 percent in the days after the storm slammed ashore on Aug. 29, 2005. Just one in three Americans polled believe Bush did a good job with Katrina, down from 46 percent a year ago.

"Nobody actually realized soon enough what the scope of this thing was," said Frank Sheppard, a 63-year-old retiree in Valrico, Fla., who considers himself strongly Republican. "The day after, people were actually celebrating."

"They didn't realize that the levees were deteriorating and breaking at that time," he said.

Bush, who visits the recovering storm zone today and tomorrow, has sought to deflect the torrent of criticism, saying that rebuilding takes time.

Democrats are hoping to capitalize for the November congressional elections, such as among black and poor people, many of whom were unable to escape Katrina and the flooding it caused.

Today, Democrats on the House Homeland Security Committee planned to release a fresh report that summarizes instances where small businesses in the Gulf Coast region were hurt as limited- or no-bid contracts were awarded to politically connected large firms in the weeks after the storm.

The AP-Ipsos poll surveyed 1,001 adults Aug. 7-9 and 1,000 adults Aug. 15-17 and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. The poll found race and class differences sometimes did color people's perceptions.

For example:

Those making $25,000 a year or less worry were more likely to be worried about becoming a victim of a natural disaster than those who make $75,000 or more.

People with a high school education or less were among those with the strongest views that the country cannot handle another disaster.

Fewer than one in five minorities approved of Bush's handling of Katrina, compared with almost two in five whites.