Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live At Daybreak
Evacuations Under Way as Isabel Nears
Aired September 17, 2003 - 06:22 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: Oh, she's coming. Isabel is now a little more than 400 miles from the North Carolina shore. Evacuations under way while the rest of the East Coast waits.
Let's go live to Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina and Sean Callebs -- Sean, does it feel like she's closer now?
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It does feel like she's closer. We have some pretty good sustained winds that have been out here throughout the morning. But forecasters tell us the wind is not from the hurricane, it's just some heavy winds that are preceding the outer bands of Isabel. And as people have pointed out, North Carolina's date with Isabel is still about 24 hours away.
But even though this storm is losing some of its punch, residents all along the Eastern Seaboard are taking this very seriously and already tens of thousands of people in low lying areas have been evacuated.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CALLEBS (voice-over): The Eastern Seaboard has had plenty of notice and this morning marks the final few hours of the calm before the storm.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's going to be the last chance to board up or to go ahead and pack up and leave, if that's what you decide to do.
CALLEBS: To many, it may appear Isabel is not in a hurry. But residents from the Carolinas to Massachusetts are boarding up and bracing for the worst.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We've been through many storms, my family, since 1934. The time to do this is now.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We just made the decision to get ready for the storm just in case. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
CALLEBS: Isabel is no longer a well defined category five hurricane. Her outer bands shredded. But forecasters are warning people along the coast not to be lulled into a sense of complacency.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Over 100 miles an hour you lose your roof. So, really there's no need to board up if you don't have a roof.
CALLEBS: Experts say the hurricane could strengthen just before land fall. Even if it doesn't, heavy rain, a punishing storm surge and the possibility of tornadoes could wreak havoc.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CALLEBS: And people all along North Carolina's Outer Banks, which is where we are, know that Isabel is coming and at this point they know there is absolutely nothing they can do about it except wait, watch and wonder just how much damage this powerful storm will cause -- Carol.
COSTELLO: You know, Sean, with those mandatory evacuations now, you have to wonder about traffic conditions. I know when I covered, what, Hurricane Floyd back in '99, the traffic was awful.
CALLEBS: Right.
COSTELLO: I was in Charleston, South Carolina. You could walk on the highway packed with cars with people trying to get out and couldn't.
CALLEBS: I think that's one thing that people in this area learned, because Floyd hit North Carolina extraordinarily hard and this is the most powerful hurricane since that. A lot of people have already left low lying areas. For example, Kill Devil Hills, population 6,400, the mayor says about half of those people have already left the area. And as you heard her say, if they're going to leave, they'd better do it today because the roads in and off these barrier islands are very small. And, as you mentioned, you don't want to get caught on one of those bridges in the height of one of these punishing storms.
COSTELLO: Oh, now that would be scary.
Sean Callebs live from Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
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 17, 2003 - 06:22 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Oh, she's coming. Isabel is now a little more than 400 miles from the North Carolina shore. Evacuations under way while the rest of the East Coast waits.
Let's go live to Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina and Sean Callebs -- Sean, does it feel like she's closer now?
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It does feel like she's closer. We have some pretty good sustained winds that have been out here throughout the morning. But forecasters tell us the wind is not from the hurricane, it's just some heavy winds that are preceding the outer bands of Isabel. And as people have pointed out, North Carolina's date with Isabel is still about 24 hours away.
But even though this storm is losing some of its punch, residents all along the Eastern Seaboard are taking this very seriously and already tens of thousands of people in low lying areas have been evacuated.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CALLEBS (voice-over): The Eastern Seaboard has had plenty of notice and this morning marks the final few hours of the calm before the storm.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's going to be the last chance to board up or to go ahead and pack up and leave, if that's what you decide to do.
CALLEBS: To many, it may appear Isabel is not in a hurry. But residents from the Carolinas to Massachusetts are boarding up and bracing for the worst.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We've been through many storms, my family, since 1934. The time to do this is now.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We just made the decision to get ready for the storm just in case. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
CALLEBS: Isabel is no longer a well defined category five hurricane. Her outer bands shredded. But forecasters are warning people along the coast not to be lulled into a sense of complacency.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Over 100 miles an hour you lose your roof. So, really there's no need to board up if you don't have a roof.
CALLEBS: Experts say the hurricane could strengthen just before land fall. Even if it doesn't, heavy rain, a punishing storm surge and the possibility of tornadoes could wreak havoc.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CALLEBS: And people all along North Carolina's Outer Banks, which is where we are, know that Isabel is coming and at this point they know there is absolutely nothing they can do about it except wait, watch and wonder just how much damage this powerful storm will cause -- Carol.
COSTELLO: You know, Sean, with those mandatory evacuations now, you have to wonder about traffic conditions. I know when I covered, what, Hurricane Floyd back in '99, the traffic was awful.
CALLEBS: Right.
COSTELLO: I was in Charleston, South Carolina. You could walk on the highway packed with cars with people trying to get out and couldn't.
CALLEBS: I think that's one thing that people in this area learned, because Floyd hit North Carolina extraordinarily hard and this is the most powerful hurricane since that. A lot of people have already left low lying areas. For example, Kill Devil Hills, population 6,400, the mayor says about half of those people have already left the area. And as you heard her say, if they're going to leave, they'd better do it today because the roads in and off these barrier islands are very small. And, as you mentioned, you don't want to get caught on one of those bridges in the height of one of these punishing storms.
COSTELLO: Oh, now that would be scary.
Sean Callebs live from Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
