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American Morning

The Aftereffects of Isabel

Aired September 19, 2003 - 07:30   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.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to see a little bit of that weather in the Northeast over the weekend. Again, as those hurricanes move out, they suck so much tropical air with them it really makes for a beautiful scene. This, though, is the other side of it. This is Alexandria, Virginia, where the flooding in some areas is very intense and there will be a lot of problems throughout this area and also the number of people without power waking up today, 3.5 million was the estimate we had a bit earlier today. So it is dramatic right now as we watch the aftereffects of Isabel.
Let's get you updated right now on what we know.

Between 30 and 40 homes may be destroyed in the small town of Harlowe. All told three and a half million people, as I mentioned, lost power from the storm. Estimates say four people have been killed. Some say that number is higher, maybe eight or nine, but the number we have at this point is four as a result of Isabel.

We've been watching and talking with Chad Myers throughout the week on this storm. It's moving past us right now -- Chad, good morning again.

CHAD MYERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is.

Good morning.

And it's dying rapidly. Moving to the north-northwest at about 21 miles per hour. At five o'clock, the winds were 50. You know, we're going to get another update here in about 25 minutes. I suspect the winds are going to be down to about 35, because very little is going on with the storm now. It is really, it's not over water anymore. Obviously it's over Pennsylvania, not much water there. And it's cool and storms want water. They want heat. They want that heat from the warm energy of the ocean to build and obviously as soon as you lose that, these storms die. That's why they call them tropical storms. They don't call them mid-Atlantic storms. If it's not over the tropical water, they start to fall apart pretty rapidly.

Showers, thunderstorms, though, Hartford, Providence, almost to Boston now, and then extending all the way back westward to Detroit. Really some areas that are hit hard, Soledad, Okracoke and also Cape Hatteras. Still trying to get crews down there. It is so difficult to get down the Outer Banks this morning that we really don't know what we're going to find when we get down there. But we do know that some of the wind speeds there were about 105 miles per hour yesterday as the eye made landfall -- back to you.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks, Chad.

Yes, no question, lots of folks now only beginning to assess the damage that was left behind from Isabel.

We've got two reports for you this morning, David Ensor in Alexandria, Virginia; also, Brian Cabell is in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina.

Let's begin with David -- and, of course, David, the flooding there is the big problem.

What's the latest?

DAVID ENSOR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the latest is that the water is receding just a little bit here in downtown Alexandria, but they are worried about high tide coming in a few hours, that it may come up again. What you've had is you've had the Potomac River going in the wrong direction. A tidal surge has been forcing the water up here. The mayor of Alexandria says the high point it was nine feet above the storm surge level.

We have about two million customers without power in the Washington, D.C. region here. Fairfax County, with a million residents, that's just down the street from here, none of the water treatment plants are working and people are being advised not to use water unless absolutely necessary and to boil it if they have to. They're being told that may be three to seven days before power comes back to some customers in this region with, as I say, about two million people not having electrical power.

Now, here in Alexandria, the water has receded somewhat. It left quite a lot of bits and pieces on King Street here in Alexandria. But they're not going to clean up because, as I said, they believe the water may come up again with high tide and with the tidal surge that is expected to continue on into tomorrow -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: All right, David Ensor, thanks for that update.

Let's go right to Brian Cabell.

He is in Kill Devil Hills for us, North Carolina this morning.

And what a much better scene than when we saw you yesterday, Brian -- good morning.

BRIAN CABELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.

Yes, it doesn't look too bad here at all. I can tell you we're under a curfew now until noon time. We're also without power so we've had to endure cold showers and the like overnight. But not so bad here. Take a look around. I can tell you this road down here is actually blocked about three or four miles down because a power line is down. Nobody is being allowed into the Outer Banks right now.

But take a look at the buildings here. Most of the buildings here in Kill Devil Hills and around Nags Head, for the most part, did pretty well. But I'm told, in fact, I saw in an early morning drive that in South Nags Head, a lot of debris in the roads. Three piers are either gone or substantially gone.

But the greatest damage we heard about -- and this comes from a policeman whom I talked to, I have not eyeballed this myself -- comes at Cape Hatteras. Hatteras Village, I'm told by this policeman, is substantially damaged, substantial damage, houses down. One fellow told me that and actually a hotel had moved across the road.

Again, I have not seen that yet. We're trying to get down there. But apparently Hatteras Village took it very hard, 100 to 105 mile per hour winds.

But in this area, as you can see right now, these houses made it pretty well. These businesses made it pretty well, but nobody on the street because there was a curfew in effect. It'll be in effect until noon and when people will be allowed onto the Outer Banks again we simply don't know -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: All right, yes, a big question now, the cleanup and the costs, of course.

Brian Cabell, thanks for that update.

The worst, as Brian said, is over. But residents of Virginia Beach are still feeling the wrath of Isabel.

Robin Mock and her children are staying at a Red Cross shelter till they can return home and Robin joins us this morning in Virginia Beach, along with her daughters Sarah and Angel.

We're going to talk a little bit about how they were able to hunker down during the storm.

Good morning to all of you.

Thanks for joining us.

ROBIN MOCK, VIRGINIA BEACH RESIDENT: Thank you.

O'BRIEN: Robin, let's start with you. Any idea at this point how your house held up overnight?

R. MOCK: No, we haven't been able to go back. I did call my neighbor about six yesterday and they told me the siding on the house had come off but the trees around it were still up. But I know, you know, my neighbor's trees came down and broke swing sets and pools and stuff. But that's all I know for now.

O'BRIEN: So how are you feeling about that information?

R. MOCK: Well, since it was six o'clock yesterday, you know, I felt good about it because we were worried about the tree in the front yard. But, you know, there's still a lot of winds and stuff last night. So I'm still a little bit nervous to see what I've got when I get home. O'BRIEN: Yes, I can imagine. You were staying in a Red Cross shelter overnight. Give me a sense of what that was like. Was it crowded? Were people calm or were they very anxious?

R. MOCK: I think people were pretty calm. We went in on Thursday at four and the first night there was only about 60 people. But then yesterday morning we got a lot more people in and -- but everybody pretty much was real calm and they had lots of things for us to do. They fed us, you know, breakfast, lunch and dinner and snacks and had games for the kids and movies. So everybody was real calm there. It was a great atmosphere.

O'BRIEN: Wow, games for the kids. Well, let me ask a question, then, to Sarah and Angel.

Angel, let's start with you.

What was it like? How was it going through the storm? Could you feel it and hear it?

ANGEL MOCK, ROBIN'S DAUGHTER: It was awesome in how they had games for us and it -- we couldn't really hear the storm from where we were in the gym.

O'BRIEN: Sarah, can I ask you a question? Was there any point when you were afraid?

SARAH MOCK, ROBIN'S DAUGHTER: Well, not really.

O'BRIEN: Well, good, I'm glad to hear that.

Hey, Robin, we don't have a ton of time, but I want to ask you a quick question. I know that your husband is in the Navy and that, in fact, right now he is stationed off the coast in Liberia.

R. MOCK: Yes.

O'BRIEN: I'm told he watches CNN on board his ship.

R. MOCK: Yes.

O'BRIEN: So is there anything you and the girls want to say to him while you've sort of got his ear?

R. MOCK: I hope we have his ear. I just want to tell him I love him and I can't wait for him to come home. I hope he comes home safe and we'll make sure that everything's great, you know, when he comes home.

O'BRIEN: Come home safe and...

R. MOCK: You guys want to say hi to daddy?

O'BRIEN: Go ahead, girls. You want to say hi to your dad while you have a chance?

S. AND A. MOCK: Hi, Mr. Ken!

O'BRIEN: Well, they are too cute.

Robin, thanks for joining us; Angel and Sarah, as well.

MOCK: Thank you.

O'BRIEN: And, yes, come home soon and fix the siding on the house.

Nice to see you guys.

MOCK: Oh, yes.

O'BRIEN: Best of luck in those hopefully minor repairs that you have to do.

MOCK: Thank you.

O'BRIEN: Bill.

HEMMER: In unison, too. Great salute.

We want to get you back to the airports right now. Thousands of air travelers grounded by Isabel yesterday trying to get back on board today.

First, check with Jason Carroll at LaGuardia here in New York City -- how goes it, Jason?

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Oh, things, Bill, are looking much better out here at LaGuardia. By far, the worst time was last night. That's when we saw most of the cancellations and most of the flight delays.

But if you take a look right now, you can see things looking pretty smooth out here. Again, it was last night that airport officials tell us it was the worst for them out here, 250 flights canceled at all three of the major New York City airports. Two hour delays at its worst.

This morning we did see a few people who were camped out at the airport overnight. We also saw some cancellations this morning, mostly to destinations such as Washington, Miami and St. Louis. But for the most part, airport officials tell us that most people called ahead before they came to the airport so they would not end up getting stranded.

Right now the weather outside is pretty much clearing up and airport officials are also telling us that most of those people who were stranded here overnight have already been put on flights.

So things are looking pretty good for them.

They also tell us that they expect few delays and few cancellations this morning -- Bill. HEMMER: For the folks watching across the country at airports, that's really good news, and probably the report that a lot of folks there, anyway, have been waiting for.

Thanks, Jason.

We'll check back in a bit later this morning.

Jason Carroll at LaGuardia.

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 - 07:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to see a little bit of that weather in the Northeast over the weekend. Again, as those hurricanes move out, they suck so much tropical air with them it really makes for a beautiful scene. This, though, is the other side of it. This is Alexandria, Virginia, where the flooding in some areas is very intense and there will be a lot of problems throughout this area and also the number of people without power waking up today, 3.5 million was the estimate we had a bit earlier today. So it is dramatic right now as we watch the aftereffects of Isabel.
Let's get you updated right now on what we know.

Between 30 and 40 homes may be destroyed in the small town of Harlowe. All told three and a half million people, as I mentioned, lost power from the storm. Estimates say four people have been killed. Some say that number is higher, maybe eight or nine, but the number we have at this point is four as a result of Isabel.

We've been watching and talking with Chad Myers throughout the week on this storm. It's moving past us right now -- Chad, good morning again.

CHAD MYERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is.

Good morning.

And it's dying rapidly. Moving to the north-northwest at about 21 miles per hour. At five o'clock, the winds were 50. You know, we're going to get another update here in about 25 minutes. I suspect the winds are going to be down to about 35, because very little is going on with the storm now. It is really, it's not over water anymore. Obviously it's over Pennsylvania, not much water there. And it's cool and storms want water. They want heat. They want that heat from the warm energy of the ocean to build and obviously as soon as you lose that, these storms die. That's why they call them tropical storms. They don't call them mid-Atlantic storms. If it's not over the tropical water, they start to fall apart pretty rapidly.

Showers, thunderstorms, though, Hartford, Providence, almost to Boston now, and then extending all the way back westward to Detroit. Really some areas that are hit hard, Soledad, Okracoke and also Cape Hatteras. Still trying to get crews down there. It is so difficult to get down the Outer Banks this morning that we really don't know what we're going to find when we get down there. But we do know that some of the wind speeds there were about 105 miles per hour yesterday as the eye made landfall -- back to you.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks, Chad.

Yes, no question, lots of folks now only beginning to assess the damage that was left behind from Isabel.

We've got two reports for you this morning, David Ensor in Alexandria, Virginia; also, Brian Cabell is in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina.

Let's begin with David -- and, of course, David, the flooding there is the big problem.

What's the latest?

DAVID ENSOR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the latest is that the water is receding just a little bit here in downtown Alexandria, but they are worried about high tide coming in a few hours, that it may come up again. What you've had is you've had the Potomac River going in the wrong direction. A tidal surge has been forcing the water up here. The mayor of Alexandria says the high point it was nine feet above the storm surge level.

We have about two million customers without power in the Washington, D.C. region here. Fairfax County, with a million residents, that's just down the street from here, none of the water treatment plants are working and people are being advised not to use water unless absolutely necessary and to boil it if they have to. They're being told that may be three to seven days before power comes back to some customers in this region with, as I say, about two million people not having electrical power.

Now, here in Alexandria, the water has receded somewhat. It left quite a lot of bits and pieces on King Street here in Alexandria. But they're not going to clean up because, as I said, they believe the water may come up again with high tide and with the tidal surge that is expected to continue on into tomorrow -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: All right, David Ensor, thanks for that update.

Let's go right to Brian Cabell.

He is in Kill Devil Hills for us, North Carolina this morning.

And what a much better scene than when we saw you yesterday, Brian -- good morning.

BRIAN CABELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.

Yes, it doesn't look too bad here at all. I can tell you we're under a curfew now until noon time. We're also without power so we've had to endure cold showers and the like overnight. But not so bad here. Take a look around. I can tell you this road down here is actually blocked about three or four miles down because a power line is down. Nobody is being allowed into the Outer Banks right now.

But take a look at the buildings here. Most of the buildings here in Kill Devil Hills and around Nags Head, for the most part, did pretty well. But I'm told, in fact, I saw in an early morning drive that in South Nags Head, a lot of debris in the roads. Three piers are either gone or substantially gone.

But the greatest damage we heard about -- and this comes from a policeman whom I talked to, I have not eyeballed this myself -- comes at Cape Hatteras. Hatteras Village, I'm told by this policeman, is substantially damaged, substantial damage, houses down. One fellow told me that and actually a hotel had moved across the road.

Again, I have not seen that yet. We're trying to get down there. But apparently Hatteras Village took it very hard, 100 to 105 mile per hour winds.

But in this area, as you can see right now, these houses made it pretty well. These businesses made it pretty well, but nobody on the street because there was a curfew in effect. It'll be in effect until noon and when people will be allowed onto the Outer Banks again we simply don't know -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: All right, yes, a big question now, the cleanup and the costs, of course.

Brian Cabell, thanks for that update.

The worst, as Brian said, is over. But residents of Virginia Beach are still feeling the wrath of Isabel.

Robin Mock and her children are staying at a Red Cross shelter till they can return home and Robin joins us this morning in Virginia Beach, along with her daughters Sarah and Angel.

We're going to talk a little bit about how they were able to hunker down during the storm.

Good morning to all of you.

Thanks for joining us.

ROBIN MOCK, VIRGINIA BEACH RESIDENT: Thank you.

O'BRIEN: Robin, let's start with you. Any idea at this point how your house held up overnight?

R. MOCK: No, we haven't been able to go back. I did call my neighbor about six yesterday and they told me the siding on the house had come off but the trees around it were still up. But I know, you know, my neighbor's trees came down and broke swing sets and pools and stuff. But that's all I know for now.

O'BRIEN: So how are you feeling about that information?

R. MOCK: Well, since it was six o'clock yesterday, you know, I felt good about it because we were worried about the tree in the front yard. But, you know, there's still a lot of winds and stuff last night. So I'm still a little bit nervous to see what I've got when I get home. O'BRIEN: Yes, I can imagine. You were staying in a Red Cross shelter overnight. Give me a sense of what that was like. Was it crowded? Were people calm or were they very anxious?

R. MOCK: I think people were pretty calm. We went in on Thursday at four and the first night there was only about 60 people. But then yesterday morning we got a lot more people in and -- but everybody pretty much was real calm and they had lots of things for us to do. They fed us, you know, breakfast, lunch and dinner and snacks and had games for the kids and movies. So everybody was real calm there. It was a great atmosphere.

O'BRIEN: Wow, games for the kids. Well, let me ask a question, then, to Sarah and Angel.

Angel, let's start with you.

What was it like? How was it going through the storm? Could you feel it and hear it?

ANGEL MOCK, ROBIN'S DAUGHTER: It was awesome in how they had games for us and it -- we couldn't really hear the storm from where we were in the gym.

O'BRIEN: Sarah, can I ask you a question? Was there any point when you were afraid?

SARAH MOCK, ROBIN'S DAUGHTER: Well, not really.

O'BRIEN: Well, good, I'm glad to hear that.

Hey, Robin, we don't have a ton of time, but I want to ask you a quick question. I know that your husband is in the Navy and that, in fact, right now he is stationed off the coast in Liberia.

R. MOCK: Yes.

O'BRIEN: I'm told he watches CNN on board his ship.

R. MOCK: Yes.

O'BRIEN: So is there anything you and the girls want to say to him while you've sort of got his ear?

R. MOCK: I hope we have his ear. I just want to tell him I love him and I can't wait for him to come home. I hope he comes home safe and we'll make sure that everything's great, you know, when he comes home.

O'BRIEN: Come home safe and...

R. MOCK: You guys want to say hi to daddy?

O'BRIEN: Go ahead, girls. You want to say hi to your dad while you have a chance?

S. AND A. MOCK: Hi, Mr. Ken!

O'BRIEN: Well, they are too cute.

Robin, thanks for joining us; Angel and Sarah, as well.

MOCK: Thank you.

O'BRIEN: And, yes, come home soon and fix the siding on the house.

Nice to see you guys.

MOCK: Oh, yes.

O'BRIEN: Best of luck in those hopefully minor repairs that you have to do.

MOCK: Thank you.

O'BRIEN: Bill.

HEMMER: In unison, too. Great salute.

We want to get you back to the airports right now. Thousands of air travelers grounded by Isabel yesterday trying to get back on board today.

First, check with Jason Carroll at LaGuardia here in New York City -- how goes it, Jason?

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Oh, things, Bill, are looking much better out here at LaGuardia. By far, the worst time was last night. That's when we saw most of the cancellations and most of the flight delays.

But if you take a look right now, you can see things looking pretty smooth out here. Again, it was last night that airport officials tell us it was the worst for them out here, 250 flights canceled at all three of the major New York City airports. Two hour delays at its worst.

This morning we did see a few people who were camped out at the airport overnight. We also saw some cancellations this morning, mostly to destinations such as Washington, Miami and St. Louis. But for the most part, airport officials tell us that most people called ahead before they came to the airport so they would not end up getting stranded.

Right now the weather outside is pretty much clearing up and airport officials are also telling us that most of those people who were stranded here overnight have already been put on flights.

So things are looking pretty good for them.

They also tell us that they expect few delays and few cancellations this morning -- Bill. HEMMER: For the folks watching across the country at airports, that's really good news, and probably the report that a lot of folks there, anyway, have been waiting for.

Thanks, Jason.

We'll check back in a bit later this morning.

Jason Carroll at LaGuardia.

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