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CNN Live At Daybreak
Power Out for About a Million Virginians
Aired September 19, 2003 - 06:32 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: Residents of Virginia Beach are about to get their first look this morning at how much damage was done to their property.
Live to Virginia Beach now and Kathleen Koch.
And many probably will be in for an unpleasant surprise.
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They will, Carol. But, you know, to me, it was really remarkable how much damage those of us who did manage to stay here, what we actually saw while we were riding out this storm. Of course, they had evacuated most of the low-lying areas of Virginia Beach here, the flood-prone areas.
But hopefully, we're showing you right now some video that one of our cameramen was able to catch of the hotel next door, the Sea Hawk Motel. We were standing out in front of our hotel underneath an awning, where we were protected, and all of a sudden we heard a loud explosion. And we looked up and suddenly saw the roof of the hotel next door just coming to pieces, flying through the air, landing in the parking lot. Luckily, there was no one staying in that hotel at the time. It had totally blocked up.
But it was just an amazing sight to see the roof just fly apart and float through the air. And, again, very lucky that no one was hurt.
But the same kind of damage happened throughout the area, and it will really be quite a surprise I think to people when they get back to their homes.
Here in the state of Virginia, some 90 shelters took in about 8,000 people. So, we don't even know when they'll be getting back to their homes, because many roads in this state are flooded and many roads are impassable, huge trees ripped up by the roots blocking roadways.
So, it's going to take quite a lot of time for people to really see how bad things are. They think that throughout the state some 26,000 people all total evacuated, but they'll be gradually filtering back into their homes. And, of course, they can be reassured by the fact that local law enforcement is out on the streets. They're patrolling, and they're making sure that no looting occurs.
Also, quite a few National Guardsmen have been brought into the state of Virginia to help out, not only from the state, but from other regions. And also, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has brought in more than 70 semi-trailers, and they are packed with all sorts of supplies -- food, water, cots, tents, generators -- anything that anyone might need if they do get back to their home and find there is just not much of it left -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Oh, that's good to hear. Kathleen Koch reporting live from Virginia Beach, Virginia, this morning.
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 19, 2003 - 06:32 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Residents of Virginia Beach are about to get their first look this morning at how much damage was done to their property.
Live to Virginia Beach now and Kathleen Koch.
And many probably will be in for an unpleasant surprise.
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They will, Carol. But, you know, to me, it was really remarkable how much damage those of us who did manage to stay here, what we actually saw while we were riding out this storm. Of course, they had evacuated most of the low-lying areas of Virginia Beach here, the flood-prone areas.
But hopefully, we're showing you right now some video that one of our cameramen was able to catch of the hotel next door, the Sea Hawk Motel. We were standing out in front of our hotel underneath an awning, where we were protected, and all of a sudden we heard a loud explosion. And we looked up and suddenly saw the roof of the hotel next door just coming to pieces, flying through the air, landing in the parking lot. Luckily, there was no one staying in that hotel at the time. It had totally blocked up.
But it was just an amazing sight to see the roof just fly apart and float through the air. And, again, very lucky that no one was hurt.
But the same kind of damage happened throughout the area, and it will really be quite a surprise I think to people when they get back to their homes.
Here in the state of Virginia, some 90 shelters took in about 8,000 people. So, we don't even know when they'll be getting back to their homes, because many roads in this state are flooded and many roads are impassable, huge trees ripped up by the roots blocking roadways.
So, it's going to take quite a lot of time for people to really see how bad things are. They think that throughout the state some 26,000 people all total evacuated, but they'll be gradually filtering back into their homes. And, of course, they can be reassured by the fact that local law enforcement is out on the streets. They're patrolling, and they're making sure that no looting occurs.
Also, quite a few National Guardsmen have been brought into the state of Virginia to help out, not only from the state, but from other regions. And also, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has brought in more than 70 semi-trailers, and they are packed with all sorts of supplies -- food, water, cots, tents, generators -- anything that anyone might need if they do get back to their home and find there is just not much of it left -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Oh, that's good to hear. Kathleen Koch reporting live from Virginia Beach, Virginia, this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
