Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Hurricane Dorian Devastates Bahamas en Route to Florida; From Vacation to a Tragic End, Fiery Dive Boat Disaster; Disgruntled Employee Killed Seven and Injured Dozens in Texas; Hong Kong's Carrie Lam Denies She Considered Resigning; U.K. P.M. May Seek Early Election To Thwart Brexit Rebels; Israel And Hezbollah Trade Fire Across Lebanese Border; Routine Returns To Lebanon-Israel Border Amid Tensions. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired September 03, 2019 - 02:00   ET

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

[02:00:00]

(MUSIC PLAYING)

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Hello and viewers joining us here in the United States and from all around the world, I'm Rosemary Church at CNN headquarters in Atlanta, hurricane indoor and has been weakening slightly over the past several hours, it's now a category 3.

But as you can see from this image from the International Space Station it remains a very large and very dangerous storm. It's been stalled for more than a day over the northern Bahamas; at least five deaths are reported.

There a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter medevaced 19 people from Abaco Island to Nassau. But bringing in emergency aid will have to wait until the hurricane passes.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

REAR ADM. ERIC JONES, 7TH DISTRICT COMMANDER, U.S. COAST GUARD: It's absolutely catastrophic conditions, those weather, what we are seeing with the hurricane is absolutely overwhelming and we're obviously getting our rescue crews that are in the Bahamas as close as we can to help out.

But the conditions there with the hurricane stationary over Grand Bahama Island, there is no ability to get in there with any assets right now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Well, mandatory evacuations are underway and coastal communities from Florida to North Carolina, more than 2,700 flights have been canceled and the Orlando international airport has ceased operations, Florida's governor urged everyone to get out while they can.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. RON DESANTIS (R), FLA.: People need to remain vigilant, if you're ordered to evacuate you need to do that from Palm Beach County all the way to Nassau, the Florida-Georgia border, all those coastal counties have issued evacuation orders.

And it is important that residents heed those calls, you know, get out now while you have time, while there is fuel available and you'll be safe on the roads.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Well CNN is covering this hurricane from all the angles, Patrick Oppmann is in Freeport on Grand Bahama Island, Derek Van Dam is in Stuart, Florida, along the state's East Coast and Nick Valencia is farther north in Melbourne, Florida.

(WEATHER REPORT)

[02:05:00]

CHURCH: Well, the Bahamas as we have been discussing still getting pounded by Hurricane Dorian and the misery will continue until mid- morning. The country's prime minister calls the devastation unprecedented.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HUBERT MINNIS, BAHAMIAN PRIME MINISTER: The initial reports from Abaco, is that the devastation is unprecedented and extensive. They are deeply worrying. The images and videos we are seeing are heartbreaking. Many homes, businesses and other buildings have been completely or partially destroyed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: So far Grand Bahama Island has been getting the worst of Dorian, CNN's Patrick Oppmann has been there in the resort town of Freeport.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It has been hours now that during Dorian has been battering the island of Grand Bahama. And still, the winds continue to rise. Gusts of wind, hurricane-force winds continue to come in. Trees are bending over my shoulder there. There are waves out behind me. They're out growing that the storm surge coming and that it's flooding people's homes.

It seems incredible things are only getting worse, not better, on this island. But that is the situation. A little while ago, some people's homes have been flooded near where we are staying, came into this building asking for water and towels. We went down, we gave it to them.

They are bringing their pets, carrying them in their arms. There was one woman who would fall and broken her hip and they carried her as well. People are increasingly desperate because there's no way to get help to them. Officials are just completely overstretched, as well.

It is simply just too dangerous for emergency officials to come into the area, where so much of this weather, this extreme weather is raging.

So, despite the fact that it's now been almost two days since Dorian first hit the Bahamas, in many, many places, the weather conditions are getting worse. They are not getting better. And even as more and more people are increasingly getting desperate need assistance, there is no relief in sight -- Patrick Oppmann, CNN, Freeport, on the island of Grand Bahama.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: All right, so this is a situation for the Bahamas, I want to bring in CNN meteorologist Derek Van Dam in Florida right now and our Nick Valencia, who's in Melbourne, Florida.

Good to see you both.

So Derek, let's go to you first talk more about the big concern for Florida now, the likely storm surges, the flooding, how bad could this be and how prepared are the residents for this?

DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Well, if they have not evacuated yet, it's too late, Rosemary, in fact the shelters at the evacuation centers here are no longer accepting evacuees.

In fact the causeway that connects the barrier islands where the mandatory evacuations have been underway since 1:00 pm yesterday are now closed. We have sustained tropical storm force winds here and every so often we get one of those intense rain bands that comes through.

It's a strong gust of wind at least 40-50 miles per hour. But it is nothing like the never ending nightmare that is unfolding in the Bahamas. The devastation there is just unimaginable.

But the threats here going forward for Stewart and the Martin County region where I'm located, storm surge specifically along the coastal areas, the areas that are susceptible to that surge of water with that approaching powerful hurricane like this, three to seven feet, one and a half to two meters, that is the predicted storm surge for the coastal areas that will bring coastal erosion into the areas.

Right along the coastline, flash floods here, five inches of rain expected in the next 24 hours and that's 120 millimeters --

[02:10:00]

VAN DAM: -- of rain and a lot of precipitation in a short time.

And then the strong winds as the storm reaches its peak intensity. Within the next 24 hours we could get wind gusts. And we are prepared for it, they are taking this seriously they know that any deviation means a world of difference.

If it moves closer that is when we started to see the impacts really start to ramp up and if it moves east, that's what we're all hoping for. Better, though, Rosemary, that we plan for the worst.

CHURCH: Absolutely that's the best strategy.. And talk about storm surges.

I want to go to Nick now.

What is the situation there this hour?

Just how prepared are folks there and I know you were talking earlier about some people letting their guard down because they were thinking well it's not going to be as bad as we thought it was going to be.

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that is right, and that wind is strengthening in this early morning hours, it's only gotten stronger since we've been out here, Rosemary, we have yet to hear or feel a drop of rain.

But of course, the conditions are only going to deteriorate as those hours progress, on the notion of people taking this seriously I think that most of the people I've spoken to unfortunately, may not be taking it as serious as emergency management officials would like them to take it.

Yesterday this was under a mandatory evacuation at 1:00 pm but at the week that we've been out here, it's been the busiest that we have seen, the beaches, driving around this community and we are shocked to see how many businesses had not deployed their shutters or put up plywood.

There is a range in attitudes towards this storm. And I think as soon as the storm shifted from making a direct impact on Florida sort of grinding up the coast, people left their guard down and said I've been through something worse that this before and I will ride this out.

Really concerning for emergency officials, who will no doubt have to carry out rescues and look after those people that decided to put themselves in the path. It is just the case here, Rosemary, people here, some boarded up; many businesses yesterday hadn't done that just yet.

And emergency management officials pushing that message though, that you don't put your guard down but I think a lot of people are taking their chances and waiting this out.

CHURCH: Yes, and this storm surges or flooding, that is what can cause a lot of casualties.

Nick Valencia, joining us from Melbourne, Florida, many thanks. We will check back in with you very soon.

And we will continue to track this storm throughout the hour. Another story, through, a boat goes up in flames off the California coast and now the search is on for dozens of passengers still missing. An update on the search and the captain's desperate call for help.

Plus what investigators are learning about the man who went on a shooting rampage in Texas over the weekend. And some encouraging news about the recovery of one of his youngest victims. We are back in just a moment.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:15:00]

(MUSIC PLAYING)

CHURCH: Welcome back to you. A recap of our top story, Hurricane Dorian has weakened slightly but remains a threat over the Bahamas, the storm has battered the islands for more than 24 hours now, killing at least five people, it's now a category 3 but still packing fierce winds.

It's moving very slowly and that means some areas are being pummeled over and over again. Officials in the U.S. warn it could shift towards Florida in the coming hours. Millions of people are being ordered to evacuate.

Now those along the U.S. Atlantic coast not taking Dorian seriously need only to look at the utter destruction and devastation in the Bahamas. CNN's Brian Todd has this report from Stuart, Florida.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Tonight, as Florida braces for Hurricane Dorian, the Bahamas are taking a direct hit, Grand Bahama Island bearing the brunt of more than 150-mile-per-hour winds and rain.

For more than 36 hours, the life-threatening storm has been pummeling the Bahamas, some Marsh Harbour, Bahamas, residents trapped in homes that have been destroyed.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We can't go outside. We're still stuck inside. We need help. Please, someone, please come help us.

TODD: Here in Florida, more than 10 coastal counties are under a mandatory evacuation.

GOV. RON DESANTIS (R-FL): And it's important that residents heed those calls. You know, get out now while you have time, while there's fuel available, and you will be safe on the roads.

TODD: With the storm approaching, medically dependent and special needs residents have to be moved, too. Residents from more than 90 Florida assisted living facilities, hospitals, and nursing homes have already been relocated, according to the governor.

Along the barrier islands, which could get the brunt of the storm as it hits, concerns that those who don't heed the mandatory evacuation orders could be cut off.

MICHELE JONES, MARTIN COUNTY, FLORIDA, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR: It's going to be difficult for us to get out to the barrier islands after the storm. We have a lot of partnership with the sheriff's office and our fire rescue, where we're able to bring assets out to them.

But it's going to take some time. This is a slow-moving storm, so we're concerned that those folks might get isolated for a time, until Dorian passes and it's safe for our first responders to get back out there to them. TODD: Residents in the town of Stuart are particularly vulnerable to

storm surge and flooding. Many live in low-lying neighborhoods near two rivers and a canal.

Kris Garrigus is closing up his house right by a canal and getting out.

KRIS GARRIGUS, FLORIDA RESIDENT: Flooding is the main concern, for sure.

[02:20:00]

GARRIGUS: I mean, if they release Lake Okeechobee, and then it comes up, and then, if this thing hits on high tide, we're screwed.

TODD: As emergency management officials try to get people off these barrier islands behind me, they're warning people who are evacuating, drive tens of miles and don't drive hundreds of miles.

Officials are still concerned that too many people are going to get out on the road and drive north. That's moving with the storm and officials are worried that too many people will get caught in the storm as they drive north -- Brian Todd, CNN, Stuart, Florida.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: And we will continue to bring you this story on Hurricane Dorian.

But we do want to bring you this heartbreaking story we have been covering, it was supposed to be a fun overnight scuba diving trip off the California coast but it turned into an utter nightmare when the dive boat caught fire as dozens of passengers slept below the deck.

So far eight people have been confirmed dead and 26 others are still unaccounted for and we've been told more bodies have been recovered but no word yet on how many. As Nick Watt reports, there are many questions about what went wrong.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK WATT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A mayday call just before 3:30 am.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mayday, mayday, mayday. Conception -- Platts Harbor -- Northside -- Santa Cruz.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

WATT (voice-over): Thirty miles from the mainland, just north of Los Angeles, first responders beaten back by the inferno.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It keeps being extinguished and re-flashing, possibly to the amount of fuel on board. Unsure why.

WATT (voice-over): Five crew members escaped.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The crew was actually already awake and on the bridge and they jumped off. Five people were evacuated aboard a good Samaritan pleasure craft, known as the Grape Escape.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATT (voice-over): One brought ashore on a stretcher, rushed to the hospital; one limping, an injured ankle; two shoeless and shocked; 34 others were below decks. We're told there are numerous fatalities.

Listen to the dispatcher on that mayday call, asking questions.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Roger, are they locked inside the boat?

Roger, can you get back on board and unlock the boat, unlock the door so they can get off?

(END AUDIO CLIP)

WATT (voice-over): We cannot hear the answers and the Coast Guard has said the boat was in compliance.

PETTY OFFICER MARK BARNEY, U.S. COAST GUARD: We are combing the shoreline. We have vessels, two vessels from Coast Guard stations here on (INAUDIBLE) Harbor. We have Coast Guard helicopter air crews. So we are throwing everything that we have in the nearby area to search for these missing (INAUDIBLE) people.

WATT (voice-over): The boat sank in 64 feet of water just 20 yards from the shore of Santa Cruz Island. The Conception, a 75-foot dive boat seen here in video on a previous trip had left Santa Barbara, Saturday morning.

The cause of that fire that destroyed her is still unknown. The NTSB is en route and the Coast Guard is working with the vessel's owner but the priority right now is to fight, with hope fading, to find any more survivors.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: CNN's Nick Watt reporting there.

And we just learned that at least 15 bodies have now been found and that is according to U.S. Coast Guard officials, who spoke to the "Los Angeles Times."

And new details are emerging about the man who went on a shooting rampage in West Texas Saturday. Seven people were killed and more than 2 dozen were injured, authorities say that the shooter called the FBI's national tipline prior to the massacre but didn't make any threats.

He also called 9-1-1 before and during the shooting spree, telling the dispatcher he was, quote, "The guy doing, it."

Just hours before the shooting, he was fired from his job; however, the FBI says that was not what set him off.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want to be clear, he showed up to work in a very distressed mental state. So it's not because he got fired. This did not happen because he was fired, which other active shooters have occurred.

When he showed up to work, he was already enraged.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: And we have been updated about one of the youngest victims, the 17-month-old Anderson Davis, she was hit with a fragment of shrapnel and family friend Haylee Wilkerson says her recovery is going well.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HAYLEE WILKERSON, PRESCHOOL TEACHER: The shooter drove by them and was just firing off rounds. As they were firing off rounds, Anderson was in the crossfire. It hit Anderson. It missed her twin brother but hit Anderson and it went through her tongue, her bottom lip and she had some shrapnel in her right chest.

They got all that they could out of her chest and there was one piece left but it just was too small to get and her body will push that out eventually.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Just extraordinary. And Wilkerson is raising money through the website GoFundMe to help pay for the family's expenses.

[02:25:00]

CHURCH: She has collected more than $200,000 so far. Well, the latest on Hurricane Dorian is coming up. After the break we

will go live to our correspondents and get reaction from the White House. We will be back in just a moment.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. We are tracking Hurricane Dorian. Right now the storm has downgraded or was downgraded to category 3 hurricane. But that is only because the wind speed decreased slightly.

[02:30:00]

Dorian is still a deadly dangerous storm, and its eventual path toward the U.S. is uncertain at this time. For more than 24 hours, it has been sitting over the Northern Bahamas. Residents and tourists on the islands have been enduring relentless pounding from wind and rain and desperately hoping it will end soon. At least five deaths have been reported so far.

And then, in the U.S., mandatory evacuations are underway in four states. The storm is predicted to turn North at some point, but people along the west coast urged not to take any chances. So, let's bring in CNN Meteorologist Derek Van Dam in Stuart, Florida along the state's east coast and our Nick Valencia, who's a little further north in Melbourne, Florida. Good to see you both again.

So, Derek, what's the scene this hour in Stuart and has anything changed in terms of weather conditions since we last talked? I'm looking at the foliage behind you. It seems to be a lot windier there now than it was when we last spoke.

VAN DAM: Yes, the winds are definitely picking up in speed here, but it remained largely unchanged from last time we talked. You know, I don't want to over sensationalize what's happening here. But the point is that we understand as the storm makes its closest approach to the east coast of Florida here within the next 24 hours, we understand that that could bring in winds over 100 kilometers per hour, close to 75 miles per hour for the coastal areas. That is the real threat here, and not only the storm surge as well as the strong gusty winds, but also flash flooding. Those remain the largest threats.

We have mandatory evacuations for the Barrier Islands that run parallel with the peninsula of Florida. The evacuation centers here, the shelters that have been set up in place for the evacuees are no longer accepting residents. They're no longer accepting people because the tropical storm force winds have set in, it's too dangerous for them to allow that. The causeways that connect the inner coastal to the peninsula of Florida are now closed because winds are sustained over 40 miles per hour.

In fact, I've been communicating with Ivan Cabrera, our meteorologists back in Atlanta. We've seen some official recorded wind gusts at the Stuart airport that's very close to the location that I'm at. And we're seeing tropical storm force winds there, 42 knots reported which is roughly about 50 miles per hour. So, you can see the intensity, it fades and then it comes back. It's nothing like the never ending nightmare that's taking place 100 miles to our east on the island of Grand Bahama. But we do understand that conditions will deteriorate as the storm makes its closest approach to us within the next 24 hours. Rosemary?

CHURCH: And Derek, you mentioned those storm surges because that is the big concern. And of course, the flash flooding. How prepared are they to take that sort of extra -- what we were talking about, four to seven feet?

VAN DAM: Yes, 1-1/2 to two meters, that's the potential storm surge threat for about this area northward into basically the Space Coast. We're on the Treasure Coast right now. This is an area that we're located in. And the storm surge is really for the immediate coastline. Obviously, it's the threat that the ocean brings to that area. That's why they have the mandatory evacuations for those barrier islands, or the resident --

For viewers who don't understand what a barrier island is, it's basically the first line of defense between an approaching hurricane and the mainland of the United States, the Florida peninsula. So, it is that barrier between the populated areas and the ocean and the approaching storm. So, those susceptible areas to storm surge are concerned coastal erosion. The more the storm wobbles to the west, the more intense the weather conditions become, especially along those coastal communities. And the -- they are so susceptible to any wobble of this particular storm.

CHURCH: Yes, you're absolutely right. Derek Van Dam, we thank you, joining us from Stuart, Florida there. Let's go to our Nick Valencia, as we mentioned further north in Melbourne, Florida. And of course, we're talking about these storm surges and we're talking about the flash flooding. These are big concerns that you were mentioning earlier that people now that they realize the trajectory of Dorian will maybe take it away from the coastline. People aren't as worried but they should be, shouldn't they?

VALENCIA: Yes, the storm surges are certainly a factor and they're going to be a factor. So is erosion, beach erosion, that's going to be a big problem, significant damage that's going to cause, probably millions of dollars of damage. It's similar to what we saw in Hurricane Matthew where that storm sat off the coast of Florida and grinded its way up coastal Florida. It caused a lot of damage, but you know, you mentioned this sort of fatigue factor among the residents here. It's been days that they've been expected to feel this impact of the storm.

[02:35:09]

It's this morning and these early morning hours that we're finally starting to feel these wind gusts that, really, for right now, Rosemary, more annoying than they are uncomfortable. But residents here sort of let their guard down. As soon as they saw the track of this storm shift from making a direct impact on coastal Florida to grinding up the coast. And the conversations that we had yesterday on the beach, which was one of the most packed days that we've seen it in the days that we've been out here. A lot of people looking at the waves, but in their conversations with us, they said that they're going to stick it out.

Of course, there are those newly arrived Floridians that are a little bit more anxious, those that perhaps have never been through a storm before, but for those longtime Florida residents, you know, residents, they've been through storms that are more severe and more significant than this. In fact, in the last four years, Florida has felt an impact from hurricanes five different times. So, they're really used to this and accustomed to this.

Around town, you drive around town through the streets, what really shocked us yesterday was just how few businesses had boarded up, how few businesses had taken the precautions. I think that that started to change yesterday afternoon. More plywood was going up, people started to deploy shutters and putting sandbags out there. But, really, by and large, those that we've spoken to aren't taking it as seriously as emergency management officials would like them to take it. Right now, we are starting to feel those wind gusts. It's going to be even more significant this time tomorrow.

We are hoping that we could talk to more residents to see if perhaps they're taking a little bit more seriously now that they're starting to feel the impact. But the conversations that I've had so far, Rosemary, they're not -- they're not taking it seriously as emergency management officials would like them to take it. Rosemary?

CHURCH: Yes. And of course, people in the Bahamas who are having to deal with Hurricane Dorian right now, they're really feeling it, and that's a warning to everyone. A red flag indeed. Nick Valencia bringing us the very latest there from Melbourne. Appreciate that.

We'll take a short break here. Still to come, as British M.P.s get back to work after the summer holiday, many are gearing up for last ditch face off with the Prime Minister over Brexit. And we have a report from London. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:40:00]

CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. Well, Hong Kong's embattled chief executive, so she never discussed the possibility of resigning with China's central government, despite a leaked audio recording obtained by Reuters that had her saying she would quit if she had the chance. In a news conference earlier Monday, Lam said she thinks quitting would be an easy out, but not one for her. Lam went on to blame herself for causing, quote, "forgivable havoc" that has led to months of anti-government protests in the city. She told a group of business leaders she deeply regrets pushing the controversial extradition bill that sparked the demonstration, but insists it was her decision to do so. Well, in the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has

threatened to seek an early election to keep lawmakers in his own party from blocking a No Deal Brexit. U.K. media reports say a snap election could come as early as October 14th. If so-called "Brexit rebels" vote against the government in the coming hours. Our Nic Robertson reports on the P.M.'s speech from London.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Well, the speech by the Prime Minister came at very short notice. And it followed a short notice cabinet meeting that hadn't been on the agenda earlier in the day. And the Prime Minister, when he stepped up to the podium sounded as if he was giving a campaign speech, speaking about improvements to the plans for the health service, for the police service, for education, as well additional money to be spent.

But then he went on to say, I don't want another election. You, the public don't want another election. But then, he had a warning for his own M.P.s. His warning for them, don't vote against me when Parliament goes into session again on Tuesday, because if you do, you undermine my hardline No Deal Brexit negotiating position with the European Union in Brussels.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BORIS JOHNSON, PRIME MINISTER OF THE UNITED KINGDOM: If there's one thing that can hold us back in these talks, it is the sense in Brussels, that M.P.s may find some way to cancel the referendum, or that tomorrow, M.P.s will vote with Jeremy Corbyn for yet another pointless delay. I don't think they will, I hope that they won't. But if they do, they will plainly chop the legs out from under the U.K. position and make any further negotiation absolutely impossible.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: What the prime minister was speaking that we were beginning to learn some of the details of what the opposition does plan when the parliamentary session restarts on Tuesday. What they plan to do is to force the Prime Minister into either getting a negotiated deal at the European Council summit in the middle of October, or if not, get Parliament to back him on a No Deal Brexit. And if he fails, then he has the write to the -- write to the European Union, write to the European Council, requesting a Brexit extension until the 31st of January next year, 2020.

The Prime Minister, however, in his speech said under no circumstances would he be going to the European Union to ask for an extension. The battle lines are drawn and how the skies fall, well, we'll find that out Tuesday. Nic Robinson, CNN, London.

CHURCH: The U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan, says he has reached an agreement in principle with the Taliban, pending the final approval of the U.S. president.

Zalmay Khalilzad says the U.S. could stop pulling troops from five bases across Afghanistan within 135 days. So long as the Taliban meet conditions set in the agreement.

[02:45:09]

Now, this comes as the Taliban claimed responsibility for a massive blast in Kabul on Monday. The explosion killed, at least, 16 people and wounded more than 100.

On Saturday, Taliban militants attacked the city of Kunduz from multiple angles. Officials, say dozens of militants were killed in clashes with Afghan security forces.

We turn now to the Lebanese Israeli border, and it's mostly calm there right now. But on Sunday, it was a much different scene. The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, fired a barrage of anti-tank missiles into Israel, triggering Israeli artillery fire. Oren Liebermann has our report.

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: A very different day unfolded on Monday in northern Israel than what we saw earlier than that when there is fighting across the Israel-Lebanon border.

Yes, we heard drones overhead in northern Israel as the Israeli military, the IDF remained on high alert. But other than that, it was mostly a return to normalcy, a return to routine in northern Israel.

A very different day than what we saw on Sunday afternoon when Hezbollah launched a series of anti-tank missiles at an Israeli military base right along the border there, as well as a short distance away, an Israeli military vehicle. Israel said, there had been no injuries or casualties in that strike.

In response, Israel fired about a hundred artillery shells into southern Lebanon, targeting what they say was the area from which those anti-tank missiles were fired, as well as other military targets in southern Lebanon.

The military also says, they used what they termed very limited use of helicopter strikes. But that came to an end just as quickly as it began, within two hours of those anti-tank missiles being fired, Israel had lifted restrictions on civilians in northern Israel. A very strong indication that Israel thought, at least, from its perspective, this was over.

And we heard from Lebanon there was also a return to routine on that side of the border.

UNIFIL, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon which monitors the border and is in touch with the Israelis and Lebanese had been so throughout this escalation. And then, a short time later said, essentially, giving the all-clear said there is a return to come along the border but urged both sides to deescalate.

From there as the situation itself seemed to ease a little bit, that de-escalation or returned to routine on both sides of the border, then came the threats from both sides. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said the guy in the bunker referring to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah knows exactly why he's in the bunker, and reinforced that Israel would continue to act to defend its citizens and its soldiers as necessary.

Meanwhile, Nasrallah gave a speech on Monday night, laying out what he saw as his victories, the fear he says he put into Israelis in northern Israel, and the successful firing of those anti-tank missiles.

That is much more of what we're used to seeing along not certainly a peaceful border but a tense but calm border, and that is much more rhetoric flying back and forth than shells and in that sense perhaps, this is back to what we're used to. A tense border, certainly, sides that don't get along, that don't have relations, and effectively are enemies, but a border where there is a routine there is a bit of normalcy.

Oren Liebermann, CNN, northern Israel.

CHURCH: Hurricane Dorian remains a living nightmare for the Bahamas. The latest on the monster storm when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:50:00]

CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. Well, there is no rest for the Bahamas from Hurricane Dorian. The powerful storm is now a Category 3, parked over Grand Bahama Island with pounding rain and fierce winds.

The prime minister of the Bahamas says, at least, five people have been killed by the storm. It absolutely devastated the Abaco Islands with major flooding and buildings torn apart by the winds.

Well, President Trump has approved state of emergency declarations for South Carolina and Georgia as Hurricane Dorian moves ever closer to America's southeast coast. His aides are reportedly keeping him briefed on the storm hourly. Kaitlan Collins has the details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Today, the president teeing up at his golf course outside Washington, as Hurricane Dorian battered the Bahamas and bore down on the U.S.

Critics reminding him of this promise he once made to supporters.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm going to be working for you. I'm not going to have time to go play golf. I'm not going to be playing much golf.

COLLINS: He also spent the morning attacking the media and a prominent union leader on Twitter while retweeting updates on the storm and the boat fire in California. As White House officials insist he was briefed hourly on Dorian's movements.

TRUMP: The federal government stands ready to assist.

COLLINS: After a weekend at Camp David, the president returned to Washington for a briefing at FEMA's headquarters, where he appeared baffled by the storm's intensity.

TRUMP: I'm not sure that I've ever even heard of a Category 5. I knew it existed.

COLLINS: Even though there had been four Category 5 hurricanes since he's been in office. It's not the first time he's claimed surprise about the common term. He said the same thing after Hurricane Irma in 2017.

TRUMP: I never even knew a Category 5 existed.

COLLINS: The National Weather Service also forced to correct the president after he claimed Alabama was in Dorian's path.

TRUMP: So, for Alabama, just please be careful also.

COLLINS: The National Weather Service in Birmingham, Alabama says that's not so. Tweeting, "Alabama will not see any impacts from Dorian. We repeat, no impacts from Hurricane Dorian will be felt across Alabama. The system will remain too far east."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[02:55:00]

CHURCH: And that was Kaitlan Collins, reporting.

The governor of North Carolina has also requested a federal disaster declaration which will need President Trump's approval. If granted, it will allow federal disaster assistance. And we will have much more on Hurricane Dorian's path.

Coming up next hour with live reports from the Florida coast and a forecast for you as well, you're watching CNN. Do stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:00:00]