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CNN Live At Daybreak

1.3 Million People Evacuating Ahead of Rita; Emergency Landing

Aired September 22, 2005 - 06:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


(WEATHER REPORT)
KELLY WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR: Hurricane Rita, some are saying, could be worse than Katrina, and that's got more than a million people on the run this morning. Galveston, Texas, could be ground zero for this potentially catastrophic -- excuse me -- category 5 hurricane.

Our David Mattingly is joining us live on the phone from the island city.

David, good morning to you and great to talk to you. I imagine folks in Galveston are not going to be happy to see the latest reports coming from meteorologists like Bonnie. That storm is looking like it is headed very, very close to Galveston.

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Kelly. And all along as they've been making their planning as Rita entered the Gulf of Mexico, they have been preparing for the worst here. The mandatory evacuation went into effect last night at 6:00 local time. So, city streets already look deserted.

And for the first time ever, the city used public transportation to evacuate residents with special needs here. That's the sick, the elderly, the people who did not have the means to leave on their own.

This was a lesson that they learned here by watching what happened in New Orleans with Katrina. The city started working on this plan before Rita ever entered the Gulf of Mexico.

And the problem now is the traffic that has snarled outside of this island. You take the 57,000 residents here trying to get out, put them in the mix with the thousands and thousands of more people all up and down the Texas coast, and you have a terrible line of traffic of people trying to get away from the coastal areas in this part of Texas.

Yesterday, there was already one incident. There was one group of nursing home people. Fifteen people were reported unconscious in a bus. They were overcome by heat while waiting in traffic. This happened outside of Houston.

So, people are being advised to leave early and keep going as far as they can to get away from the traffic. Find a place to stay that is safe and away from these coastal areas when this storm comes in.

This city in particular has a very large seawall that's about 17 feet high. It was constructed after the big hurricane of 1900 that killed thousands of people. Some of the predictions already are saying they're looking at water 14 to 15 feet high over the top of that seawall.

So, these early predictions are very, very frightening indeed. People wondering what's going to be left of this island when they are finally allowed to come back -- Kelly.

WALLACE: All right, David, an incredible situation there that you will be watching very closely. David Mattingly reporting live for us from Galveston, Texas. And we will be watching your reports throughout the morning here on CNN.

We want you now to take a look at these computer projections. These pictures from the University of Texas show what could happen when a category 5 storm hits the Galveston and Houston areas. Galveston is wiped away, and much of Houston is inundated with water. Those are severe concerns about flooding there.

Well, the mayor of Houston warns that there aren't enough city vehicles to move everyone that may need help evacuating. Evacuees are encouraged to ask friends or family for a ride of town.

For more now, we are joined by Jennifer Thompson of CNN affiliate KPRC in Houston.

Jennifer, good morning to you and thanks for joining us. All morning long, we have been watching -- my earring just dropped, excuse me. We have been watching basically a traffic jam on the interstate out of Houston. How are folks coping with that situation as they try to get out of town?

JENNIFER THOMPSON, CNN AFFILIATE KPRC REPORTER: Oh, Kelly, it's bad news. I mean, people are not moving much at all. And they're actually running out of gas.

We are at a gas station right now that actually has gas. Not a lot of them do. And you can see that the line just goes down the feeder here. We're off Southwest Freeway, which is 59 and Beechnut (ph) here locally. And the cars are lined up all down Beechnut (ph), all down 59.

One of those big tankers with fuel unloaded all of the fuel around 1:30 this morning, and it's been constant, constant ever since then.

We don't know how long it's going to last. I talked to the guy inside a little while ago. He said some time this morning. So, at some point, people are going to be pulled up here, and they're going to be disappointed, because there's going to be no more gas.

People are filling up not only their cars, but gas can, water bottles -- anything that can basically hold a liquid. So, once they get on the road and get into that traffic that is at essentially a standstill, they can fill up with whatever they've got in their car.

So, really, and some people aren't even leaving. They just want their car to be full of gas, just that peace of mind knowing that their car is full of gas, Kelly.

So, it's crazy around here right now.

WALLACE: It is definitely crazy, Jennifer, as we watch from here. You know, as you're talking to folks as they're preparing to leave, how much is Hurricane Katrina influencing their decisions to try and get out of town now?

THOMPSON: It's a huge influence. We saw so many evacuees from Katrina into Houston. Our Astrodome was full. Reliant Park was full. We saw what those people went through. Our hearts went out to them. And now, we're going through the same thing.

So, we're taking it very seriously. And that's good news, because it looks like this storm is going to be so powerful, and people just need to get the heck out of dodge.

WALLACE: They need to get out of dodge as quickly as possible.

THOMPSON: That's right.

WALLACE: Jennifer Thompson, thanks so much for joining us. Jennifer reporting from CNN affiliate KPRC in Houston.

Well, as Hurricane Rita churns through the Gulf of Mexico, we are quickly churning through the list of storm names. The question is: Will we need Stan, Tammy or Vince? With more than two months to go in the Atlantic hurricane season, forecasters expect two or more named storms. Hard to believe.

If needed, we will have to start at the top of the alphabet with Greek names if we finish up with all of those storms there.

Necessity, as they say, is the mother of invention. Scheduled to be married Saturday, this Corpus Christi couple improvised. With Hurricane Rita's eye upon Texas, they exchanged vows in a hurry on Wednesday. They are now headed for a honeymoon in Spain. We wish them well.

A celebration of celebrations. New Orleans and jazz go together like peanut butter and jelly. And now, some top musicians are helping raise some bread to rebuild their musical city.

Also just ahead:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: So much of my childhood was spent here with all of my cousins, with my brothers and sisters, my grandparents. Hot, lazy summers.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: Hot, lazy summers and a lifetime of memories. Our very own Suzanne Malveaux returned to New Orleans to see what is left of her childhood home, a story you won't want to miss. Here's a look, though, first at what else is making news this Thursday morning, September 22.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALLACE: You're looking at what might be the start of a beautiful day here in New York City, a view of Central Park.

We're turning now, though, to a different story, a different emergency, this one involving a jetliner with 146 people on board. The JetBlue plane made an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport after its landing gear malfunctioned. An incredible story, and we're getting the details now from Jennifer Sabih of CNN affiliate KCAL in Los Angeles.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JENNIFER SABIH, CNN AFFILIATE KCAL REPORTER (voice over): What happened inside the cabin of Flight 292 by all accounts may have been a first in aviation history.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What happened when the plane landed was I put my head between my knees, I crossed my fingers.

SABIH: Historical not because all 140 passengers had to assume the crash position, nor because the jet had landing gear problems and had to make an emergency landing, but because on JetBlue planes there is a TV set at every seat. And while this plane was up in the air, the story of its troubles was on the air.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Switching back to breaking news, there it is. That is the JetBlue commercial liner that apparently the pilot has some concerns about that front landing gear, Ann.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, all of a sudden, "We're on the news!" And everybody was watching. We were seeing our plane.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It added to the fear substantially. It was basically, we were only told what the stewardesses knew, which was -- I mean, very little. And so, the reporters were already saying, well, the landing gear is, you know, perpendicular to the plane, and this is such and such is happening. And there was a specialist on and explaining everything. And I'm like, 'Uh-oh,' you know, watching. And I would kind of flip back and forth to Comedy Central. And, like, OK, I'm just going to watch Jon Stewart for a bit, and then come back to the real life, you know, in a little bit.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was an out of body experience.

SABIH: Surreal to say the least. But the people inside the New York-bound jet were used to seeing themselves on TV. Dave Renets (ph), for example, is a comedian.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It felt like the New York subway just kind of rattling and shaking.

SABIH: Actress Terren Manning (ph) was aboard and impressed that the flight crew never added to the drama.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The pilot and the crew were amazing. They never once showed fear on their faces.

SABIH: And then there was the pregnant woman, who described a moment on board that seemed like it could have come from one of those old airplane movies.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And then the flight attendants were chanting, "brace, brace, brace," in this sort of rhythmic almost mantra-like fashion, which was -- that for me was sort of the scariest thing, because it felt like a prayer.

SABIH: Prayers answered. Plane lands safely. No passengers injured. A made-for-TV emergency landing complete with a happy ending.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE: And we have a little more about that happy ending. Some of the passengers actually made it to their New York destination, JFK Airport here in the New York City area, just a little bit earlier this morning. We are sure they must be very happy to be with their families and loved ones now. Again, that was reporter Jennifer Sabih of CNN affiliate KCAL in Los Angeles.

Authorities are now investigating what caused that landing gear to malfunction. And, of course, we'll be looking closely into this.

Coming up ahead on DAYBREAK, this was more than music to the ears of many. The sounds that made New Orleans great may help make the city rise again. We'll talk to one of the men behind the music. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALLACE: And to anyone who has been to New Orleans, this has to be music to your ears. New Orleans famed Preservation Hall Jazz Band playing together in New York City's Radio City Music Hall earlier this week. The Big Apple's Big Easy benefit raising money to support the rebuilding of New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina.

Ben Jaffe was there, and he joins us this morning.

Ben, thanks so much for coming in today.

BEN JAFFE, PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND: Thanks for having me.

WALLACE: We appreciate it. What an incredible story you have, first of all. The hurricane hits, and then you're trying to track down other members of the band. Every member of the band has a story to tell. Give us a sense of what some of your colleagues went through.

JAFFE: It was -- actually we didn't reach the last member of our band until 10 days after the hurricane came to New Orleans. And our trumpet player, for example, ended up moving to the second floor apartment and was rescued under two feet of water that he had been living for several days and evacuated by bus to Conway, Arkansas, where we finally tracked him down through the Red Cross.

WALLACE: That is incredible. How hard is it for you to watch? I mean, we talk about New Orleans and the importance of music. You now have musicians from New Orleans, like yourself, displaced and really scattered throughout the country because of what happened. You're not really hearing New Orleans music in New Orleans right now.

JAFFE: That's right. And it's really devastating. The most intangible thing that we have and one of the most important things, our culture and our music, is now displaced all over the United States. And we're working really hard to get them back to New Orleans.

WALLACE: There is something interesting you told our producer before this interview. You know, you talk about other people who have to leave New Orleans. They have different skills. They might be able to get jobs in other cities. But you're saying if you're a New Orleans musician, there's really nowhere else you can play New Orleans music but in New Orleans, right?

JAFFE: Yes, it's kind of like being a shrimper. Where else are you going to go to fish for shrimp except for New Orleans? And it's the same with New Orleans music. It can only be in New Orleans.

I mean, I grew up blocks away from all of the guys in my band, and, you know, it's our home.

WALLACE: Yes, home. It must be so hard to watch. Obviously, we're just showing video of you playing at Radio City Music Hall. That must have been an incredible experience. Tell us what it was like, and how much support you're getting for this effort to raise money for New Orleans musicians.

JAFFE: Well, the outpouring of support has been amazing, because New Orleans music has just touched so many people's lives in so many different ways. And to play at Radio City Music Hall to a sold-out audience and also to have a sister event going on at Madison Square Garden that evening that was also sold out. It's just amazing to see so many people. And they weren't just there for the music, but they were there for us and to make sure that our music and our culture stays intact.

WALLACE: What do you say to the cynics who say, you know what, New Orleans won't be the same again? Sure, we'll rebuild, but that city with the culture and the music and the feel just might not be the same place again. What do you say to those people who say that?

JAFFE: I say it's just a matter of time before the city does come back. You know, you can take people out of New Orleans, but you can't take the New Orleans out of people. And, you know, we're going to be there.

WALLACE: You are. And you're now on tour, you said, of course, the previously-scheduled tour. Where's your next stop?

JAFFE: Well, from Memphis we actually fly to Thailand. And we'll be there for a couple of weeks, and then we'll be back to stateside.

WALLACE: All right. Well, Ben Jaffe, director of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Thank you so much for joining us here. We appreciate it.

And we want to put up a full screen now to give you some information if you want to help out Ben's cause of raising money for the New Orleans Musicians Hurricane Relief Fund. You can call that number on your screen, 1-888-229-7911. You can also go to that Web site, nomhrf.org -- obviously, New Orleans Musicians Hurricane Relief Fund -- and contribute there.

Thanks again, Ben. We appreciate it.

We're switching gears a little bit. Time to give away a DAYBREAK coffee mug. Chad normally does this, but he's not here today. So, I'll fill in for him.

Here are the answers to Wednesday's coffee quiz. The NTSB is proposing banning what for teenaged drivers? The answer to that: cell phones. What college bowl game will be relocated as a result of Hurricane Katrina? The answer to that: The Sugar Bowl.

And the winner is Richard Pummell from Hartford, Connecticut. You will be getting a CNN DAYBREAK coffee mug going in the mail to you.

Now time for today's questions. Which Arkansas military base is welcoming hurricane evacuees? And how many more storm names are left for forecasters this hurricane season?

Submit your answers online. That address, CNN.com/daybreak. You can find out if you won tomorrow morning.

We'll be right back, folks. Much more ahead of DAYBREAK. Don't go away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALLACE: And this just in to CNN, folks. AAA reporting gas prices falling another penny to $2.75 a gallon. Bonnie, that's good news if you're on the road. What if you're flying in the air today?

(WEATHER REPORT)

WALLACE: We will hear more on Rita on "AMERICAN MORNING." Also, the National Hurricane Center will be appearing on "AMERICAN MORNING" about 15 minutes from now.

Time out, though, now for a personal story. Our White House correspondent, Suzanne Malveaux, returns home to her New Orleans roots to see just what Katrina left behind. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX (voice over): Bourbon Street, French Quarter, it was all about Mardi Gras. It was all about our family taking me to see the big floats and the parades. I remember my uncle on the Zulu (ph) float throwing down beads, balloons and coconuts and everything. As a child it was such a place of wonderment.

(on camera): We're going to my grandmother's house, 3936 Palmer Street.

So much of my childhood was spent here with all of my cousins, my brothers and sisters, my grandparents. Hot, lazy summers. This is a beautiful place. It's empty, and it's quiet.

There are some things that are pretty much the same. It's kind of comforting.

We're looking for my cousins' house. There were seven brothers who grew up together. They lived together in this one house. Their parents had died when they were pretty young. And they're on St. Anthony Street.

My cousin, Vernon, he's an artist, and his studio is inside here. And the one thing he's really worried about are his paintings, whether or not his paintings actually survived all of this.

The bedroom, it looks like the water got to be about up to here. All of this was in water.

This is his art studio. This is my cousin's studio. This is his life work. Oh, this is covered in mold. Oh. Many of these paintings he does and he models them after the relatives -- our cousins, brothers and sisters. He takes their photos, and then he paints for the church.

Do you see the theme, though? It's Christ. It's the black church. It's a very common theme that runs through his work.

This is our family. This is me. This is my sister. That's my niece.

I think this is a picture of me. You know, they are photos, and that's really sad. But we're all alive.

I don't know what to do. I have no idea of what to do. I should try to bring something back that I could take off, just one.

OK.

(voice over): There was one place left I have to see. One of Vernon's works that can't be moved is inside a church just a couple of blocks away.

(on camera): It survived. The mural survived. This church was the only place that we found that was above water that was dry, that was safe, and that was standing. The significance of this church for me is that my mother couldn't attend during the time of segregation this beautiful place of worship. And many years later, my cousin, Vernon, the artist, painted this mural behind me in the church. He painted Mary and the eight angels of innocence, each one of them to represent a different ethnic group. And in recognizing our family and our own heritage, he painted my mother's daughters, me and my sister, on this mural.

Our family was lucky. We all came out safe and alive from this hurricane experience. And in some ways, I guess, the angels were looking after us.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE: Suzanne Malveaux, our White House correspondent, looking back.

"AMERICAN MORNING" starts right now.

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