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CNN Live At Daybreak

Deadly Tornadoes in Midwest

Aired May 05, 2003 - 06:51   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.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We've been talking about those deadly tornadoes in the Midwest. The state of Kansas also hit very, very hard. In fact, the governor there declared seven counties there disaster areas.
Let's head live to Kansas City, Kansas right now, Eric Burke of our affiliate WDAF.

Good morning.

Tell us about the damage where you're standing.

ERIC BURKE, WDAF CORRESPONDENT: Well, Good morning, Carol.

I'll do better than that. We'll go ahead and show you. My photographer, Fernando, is going to go ahead and just start with the power lines. This is going to be the biggest problem that not only the folks here in Kansas City, Kansas, but in areas just north of Kansas City proper, just north of downtown, are going to have to deal with. That, and, of course, tree limbs that are down and not just limbs, but tree trunks that have been snapped in half. You can see that basketball goal. So this a residence where children lived.

And as the sun really is going to start to come up here over the area, that's really when we're going to start to see a lot more of the damage, a lot more people coming out to survey the damage. This is the most, one of the most amazing things I've seen so far. This truck right here is underneath a huge tree. But look up in this, this house, you're looking into someone's house. You also feel guilty doing this because you see their possessions that are out there. That's a big screen TV and that is their kitchen.

COSTELLO: Oh my goodness.

BURKE: You know, just a small section of their house is remaining. And, as I said, guilty. You know, women's undergarments, pants, children's clothes, dolls. It really is, it's, you almost don't want to look. But it's one of those deals where we have to go ahead and show people how dangerous it is and really how important those warnings, when they come out. There was only one person in the Kansas City metro area that died, an 80-year-old man that was hit by debris and died. But, of course, across the state -- and since we're right on the border of Kansas and Missouri, about 20 people have died in all. Some storms hit southeastern Missouri.

So it's, it really could have been a heck of a lot worse. The warnings came out yesterday right around four o'clock. We're looking at four tornadoes at this point, possibly more. So it really is devastation and we're going to see this for days and weeks to come here in the Kansas City metro area.

COSTELLO: Eric, do you have any idea how strong the winds were?

BURKE: They're looking at probably an F3, according to our meteorologist here, possibly in spurts maybe an F4. So we're looking at winds in excess of maybe 200 miles an hour on the high end. So it's -- and to uproot trees, to snap tree trunks, you know, this big around in half and then pick up trucks from across the street and land in someone else's yard, those winds very, very, very powerful.

COSTELLO: Yes. Hey, can you show us a picture of that house again, because that was truly amazing, like...

BURKE: This, what's left of it, really. It's, it really is amazing. And it took us a little while to try and figure out OK, yes, that's someone's kitchen. And then, you know, the outside walls are gone and they had, it's really just, it's just an amazing picture.

COSTELLO: Well, where are people going, Eric? Where are they going?

BURKE: Shelters went up almost automatically late last night. We've got several throughout the metro. Because it wasn't just here in Kansas City, Kansas, but in several smaller towns that really in a line from, say, the southwest to the northeast, just above, just north of downtown Kansas City. Those different areas where the tornado didn't really just rip through the whole time. It kind of bounced around. But there was a definite path and they put up shelters in almost every town looking at hundreds of homes that have at least been damaged and a number of people, about 49, I think at last count (AUDIO GAP)...

COSTELLO: We've lost Eric.

He was reporting live from Kansas City, Kansas. And, of course, they're really hard hit. In fact, the Kansas governor has declared seven counties disaster areas and you might imagine they'll be asking for federal disaster aid very soon.

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 May 5, 2003 - 06:51   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We've been talking about those deadly tornadoes in the Midwest. The state of Kansas also hit very, very hard. In fact, the governor there declared seven counties there disaster areas.
Let's head live to Kansas City, Kansas right now, Eric Burke of our affiliate WDAF.

Good morning.

Tell us about the damage where you're standing.

ERIC BURKE, WDAF CORRESPONDENT: Well, Good morning, Carol.

I'll do better than that. We'll go ahead and show you. My photographer, Fernando, is going to go ahead and just start with the power lines. This is going to be the biggest problem that not only the folks here in Kansas City, Kansas, but in areas just north of Kansas City proper, just north of downtown, are going to have to deal with. That, and, of course, tree limbs that are down and not just limbs, but tree trunks that have been snapped in half. You can see that basketball goal. So this a residence where children lived.

And as the sun really is going to start to come up here over the area, that's really when we're going to start to see a lot more of the damage, a lot more people coming out to survey the damage. This is the most, one of the most amazing things I've seen so far. This truck right here is underneath a huge tree. But look up in this, this house, you're looking into someone's house. You also feel guilty doing this because you see their possessions that are out there. That's a big screen TV and that is their kitchen.

COSTELLO: Oh my goodness.

BURKE: You know, just a small section of their house is remaining. And, as I said, guilty. You know, women's undergarments, pants, children's clothes, dolls. It really is, it's, you almost don't want to look. But it's one of those deals where we have to go ahead and show people how dangerous it is and really how important those warnings, when they come out. There was only one person in the Kansas City metro area that died, an 80-year-old man that was hit by debris and died. But, of course, across the state -- and since we're right on the border of Kansas and Missouri, about 20 people have died in all. Some storms hit southeastern Missouri.

So it's, it really could have been a heck of a lot worse. The warnings came out yesterday right around four o'clock. We're looking at four tornadoes at this point, possibly more. So it really is devastation and we're going to see this for days and weeks to come here in the Kansas City metro area.

COSTELLO: Eric, do you have any idea how strong the winds were?

BURKE: They're looking at probably an F3, according to our meteorologist here, possibly in spurts maybe an F4. So we're looking at winds in excess of maybe 200 miles an hour on the high end. So it's -- and to uproot trees, to snap tree trunks, you know, this big around in half and then pick up trucks from across the street and land in someone else's yard, those winds very, very, very powerful.

COSTELLO: Yes. Hey, can you show us a picture of that house again, because that was truly amazing, like...

BURKE: This, what's left of it, really. It's, it really is amazing. And it took us a little while to try and figure out OK, yes, that's someone's kitchen. And then, you know, the outside walls are gone and they had, it's really just, it's just an amazing picture.

COSTELLO: Well, where are people going, Eric? Where are they going?

BURKE: Shelters went up almost automatically late last night. We've got several throughout the metro. Because it wasn't just here in Kansas City, Kansas, but in several smaller towns that really in a line from, say, the southwest to the northeast, just above, just north of downtown Kansas City. Those different areas where the tornado didn't really just rip through the whole time. It kind of bounced around. But there was a definite path and they put up shelters in almost every town looking at hundreds of homes that have at least been damaged and a number of people, about 49, I think at last count (AUDIO GAP)...

COSTELLO: We've lost Eric.

He was reporting live from Kansas City, Kansas. And, of course, they're really hard hit. In fact, the Kansas governor has declared seven counties disaster areas and you might imagine they'll be asking for federal disaster aid very soon.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com