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CNN Live Today
Hurricane Isidore Striking Cuba
Aired September 20, 2002 - 13:36 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's return now to the story of Hurricane Isidore, packing tons of water and winds over 100 miles an hour now. Right now, bearing down on Cuba, and that is where we find our Havana bureau chief, Lucia Newman. She is reporting to us about Isidore via videophone -- hello, Lucia.
LUCIA NEWMAN, CNN HAVANA BUREAU CHIEF: Hello, Miles. I'm (AUDIO GAP) on Seaside Drive where the winds are growing aggressively strong, and where it is already beginning to drizzle. I don't know if you can see that. Now I can tell you that Hurricane Isidore, the eye of the hurricane, just touched down on the very, very western tip of Cuba a few minutes ago, according to Cuba's meteorological center, and it is moving very, very slowly, which is bad news because it means it is going to be pouring down a tremendous amount of rain, up to 30 inches are expected.
Now Pinar del Rio and the rest of the western provinces, including Havana, have been preparing for this. Authorities have evacuated already about a quarter of a million people to higher ground, as well as livestock, while people have been, of course, stocking up on food, on water, on candles, batteries, so that they can keep their radios running in case power goes out, and of course, windows are being taped to prevent the glass from blowing all over the place.
The worst-hit area, though, is expected to be the very western tip of Pinar del Rio, and this is a country that has already seen a great deal of devastation. Less than 11 months ago, there was a hurricane that came through here, Hurricane Michelle. It caused widespread damage. Now there is expected to be a great deal of flooding.
Already, there have been reports of some coastal flooding here in Havana province, in the southern part of the Havana province. We have to wait and see now what will happen in Pinar del Rio, which is very, very famous for its tobacco, used for making Cuban cigars -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: CNN's Lucia Newman, thank you very much. Stay safe out there as the storm comes ashore there. We appreciate it.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired September 20, 2002 - 13:36 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's return now to the story of Hurricane Isidore, packing tons of water and winds over 100 miles an hour now. Right now, bearing down on Cuba, and that is where we find our Havana bureau chief, Lucia Newman. She is reporting to us about Isidore via videophone -- hello, Lucia.
LUCIA NEWMAN, CNN HAVANA BUREAU CHIEF: Hello, Miles. I'm (AUDIO GAP) on Seaside Drive where the winds are growing aggressively strong, and where it is already beginning to drizzle. I don't know if you can see that. Now I can tell you that Hurricane Isidore, the eye of the hurricane, just touched down on the very, very western tip of Cuba a few minutes ago, according to Cuba's meteorological center, and it is moving very, very slowly, which is bad news because it means it is going to be pouring down a tremendous amount of rain, up to 30 inches are expected.
Now Pinar del Rio and the rest of the western provinces, including Havana, have been preparing for this. Authorities have evacuated already about a quarter of a million people to higher ground, as well as livestock, while people have been, of course, stocking up on food, on water, on candles, batteries, so that they can keep their radios running in case power goes out, and of course, windows are being taped to prevent the glass from blowing all over the place.
The worst-hit area, though, is expected to be the very western tip of Pinar del Rio, and this is a country that has already seen a great deal of devastation. Less than 11 months ago, there was a hurricane that came through here, Hurricane Michelle. It caused widespread damage. Now there is expected to be a great deal of flooding.
Already, there have been reports of some coastal flooding here in Havana province, in the southern part of the Havana province. We have to wait and see now what will happen in Pinar del Rio, which is very, very famous for its tobacco, used for making Cuban cigars -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: CNN's Lucia Newman, thank you very much. Stay safe out there as the storm comes ashore there. We appreciate it.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
