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CNN Live At Daybreak
Parts of Washington State Absolutely Soaked
Aired October 22, 2003 - 06:23 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: Parts of Washington State absolutely soaked. I just talked to Chad a few seconds ago. They're expecting two more inches of rain today. They're just getting blasted and people are putting sandbag barriers up. That's in the town of Mount Vernon, which is about 55 miles from Seattle.
We want to head there live to find out how people are standing all of this.
Kimberly Osias is live there -- Kimberly, what can you tell us?
KIMBERLY OSIAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, so far so good. The sandbags have truly done the trick. About three quarters of a mile, all the way down here, as you can tell, this is Main Street. And it was the area right on the bank of the Skagit River that was expected to be the hardest hit. And check this out. Just a couple of inches is all that we see. Certainly not what was projected, the record breaking levels by the National Weather Service. But still, eight feet over flood level.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
OSIAS (voice-over): Even though the Skagit River jumped its banks, over 70,000 homemade sandbags did exactly what they were made to do.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think there's a sense of relief throughout the valley that we dodged the bullet again.
OSIAS: A view from above shows extensive damage throughout Skagit County.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So this town is about one third underwater, the whole town.
OSIAS: It's mostly farmers that live in this low lying river valley. Abandoned horses and cows sought the high ground, forced to fend for themselves after many owners found refuge in area shelters. Logs floating downstream piled up, creating pressure, which threatened bridges and the international railroad, the only Washington rail crossing north to British Columbia.
The biggest issue now is holding the water back. The turn of the century dike system was only built to withstand 38 feet of water. A volunteer army shoveled sand from dawn till dusk. They used forklifts and even passed burlap bags the old-fashioned way.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So it's been a long day.
OSIAS: Business owners wondering whether they'll wake up to see their investments washed away.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're hoping that we have a building left tomorrow morning.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
OSIAS: And so far so good. That building is still standing. Water levels are expected to rise over the next several days, before what is projected to be a very anticipated and welcomed dry weekend.
Reporting live from Mount Vernon, Washington, Kimberly Osias -- back to you, Carol.
COSTELLO: Oh, I bet so.
Thank you very much, Kimberly.
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 October 22, 2003 - 06:23 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Parts of Washington State absolutely soaked. I just talked to Chad a few seconds ago. They're expecting two more inches of rain today. They're just getting blasted and people are putting sandbag barriers up. That's in the town of Mount Vernon, which is about 55 miles from Seattle.
We want to head there live to find out how people are standing all of this.
Kimberly Osias is live there -- Kimberly, what can you tell us?
KIMBERLY OSIAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, so far so good. The sandbags have truly done the trick. About three quarters of a mile, all the way down here, as you can tell, this is Main Street. And it was the area right on the bank of the Skagit River that was expected to be the hardest hit. And check this out. Just a couple of inches is all that we see. Certainly not what was projected, the record breaking levels by the National Weather Service. But still, eight feet over flood level.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
OSIAS (voice-over): Even though the Skagit River jumped its banks, over 70,000 homemade sandbags did exactly what they were made to do.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think there's a sense of relief throughout the valley that we dodged the bullet again.
OSIAS: A view from above shows extensive damage throughout Skagit County.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So this town is about one third underwater, the whole town.
OSIAS: It's mostly farmers that live in this low lying river valley. Abandoned horses and cows sought the high ground, forced to fend for themselves after many owners found refuge in area shelters. Logs floating downstream piled up, creating pressure, which threatened bridges and the international railroad, the only Washington rail crossing north to British Columbia.
The biggest issue now is holding the water back. The turn of the century dike system was only built to withstand 38 feet of water. A volunteer army shoveled sand from dawn till dusk. They used forklifts and even passed burlap bags the old-fashioned way.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So it's been a long day.
OSIAS: Business owners wondering whether they'll wake up to see their investments washed away.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're hoping that we have a building left tomorrow morning.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
OSIAS: And so far so good. That building is still standing. Water levels are expected to rise over the next several days, before what is projected to be a very anticipated and welcomed dry weekend.
Reporting live from Mount Vernon, Washington, Kimberly Osias -- back to you, Carol.
COSTELLO: Oh, I bet so.
Thank you very much, Kimberly.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
