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Legal View with Ashleigh Banfield
Nikki Haley Press Conference; South Carolina Flooding; Vermont Amtrak Derailment. Aired 12-12:30p ET
Aired October 05, 2015 - 12:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[12:00:00] GOV. NIKKI HALEY, SOUTH CAROLINA: Water issues. We have quite a few water issues that we're seeing, either people are without water or contaminated water. So we do want people to be extremely careful as they're going on with this water issue. We have - currently have 40,000 people right now without water. And I know that they're working very hard to get that back up.
We have 26,000 people that are without power. That number seems to be an average. It's not that they're not getting it back up, it's just when one goes down, the other one - you know, we get another one up. So it's going back and forth there.
But we do have 253 troopers on the road out there trying to keep everybody safe and help all of the crews and everybody move accordingly. S.L.E.D. has gone and deployed additional officers into Clarendon, Lexington and Lee Counties as they needed assistance. So we've been able to do that.
DNR has performed over 150 water rescues as of now. So they're continuing to work very hard. We have 125 shelters open that are currently holding and housing 932 citizens in there right now. They do have plenty of food and water, all very safe and well taken care of. And I want to really thank not only DSS, who you may not realize, they actually man those shelters and keep those - them safe, but they also partner with the American Red Cross and with the Salvation Army, who have been absolutely fantastic partners to work with as we go through this.
National Guard. We've increased our number of guardsmen on duty. We're now up to 1,300 National Guards members across the state. We still have 7,000 on alert as we may need them. They have done 25 aerial rescues to date and will continue to do that.
The good news that we have, and this is that we have zero hospitals that are going to have to evacuate. And we have had a lot of heroes. And I'm going to talk to you about the great heroes a little bit later, but one in particular are the heroes that work at the Columbia Fire Department. They worked all night long to get the bulk water over to the hospital so that the hospitals didn't have to go down. And if you really want to talk about the work and the greatness of South Carolina, it was the Columbia Fire Department that really said they were going to try and make sure that they had made sure that that happened. So I do want to say a special thank you to them.
No major cell outages. We're seeing sporadic cell outages, but no major ones at this time, so everyone should be able to still communicate in that way.
And then the main thing that we have seen is, everybody is requesting water, especially in the Midlands area. They are without water in a lot of places, like I said, 40,000. So we are going to be setting up - I know a lot of people have tried to go to stores and buy it and the stores are closed. We are setting up water distribution sites. You will see four water distribution sites in Richland County today. I know one will be lower Richland High School and the other one will be Richard Fashion Mall. The other two will be announced in short order. We will add six additional water distribution centers tomorrow. So for a total of 10 around the state. So know that we have plenty of water. The time frame we're aiming is at 5:00, but you will see press releases if we can get those open sooner and press releases if we have to deal with anything else.
I want to thank Walmart, who so generously gave 80,000 bottles of water for the people of South Carolina and continue to say they're on standby to give what we need. So many people have stepped up with supplies. Our biggest focus right now is safety. So if you're in your house, continue to stay in your house. Continue to remind your kids to not get out and play in this water. What we want you to remember is if you're under a boil water advisory, follow it. And remember that this is not the time to take pictures. We've got enough media out there that you can look at to see the pictures and see the views of what's happening in South Carolina.
What I can tell you is, we're stronger today than we were yesterday, and that's because the morale continues to be good. Our angels in South Carolina and our heroes continue to be our first responders. Our first responders, our National Guardsmen, and those utility crews that are tirelessly working all night long to make sure that your power is on, and the D.O.T. maintenance crews that have just not stopped and continued to work 1,000 at a shift switching off. They've done a fantastic job. And all of that with our volunteers and everyone else seems to be going forward, we appreciate that. And then, you know, we continue to appreciate the kindness that everyone is showing to each other.
We wanted to move this further. I do want to say that I just - the reason we were late with this press conference is that I received a phone call from President Obama. He was extremely gracious and kind. He and Mrs. Obama expressed their concerns and their prayers for the people of South Carolina. And also said that they were there to assist.
Prior to my conversation with President Obama, we went ahead and did something that's very unusual, but it allows us to expedite the process. We did a verbal request for a major disaster declaration. So rather than waiting to do the paperwork, which we are drafting now, we went ahead and did a verbal request, which allows it come faster. Those things cover individual assistance, public assistance for things like debris removal and emergency protective measures, hazard mitigation, damage to infrastructure. So to try and expedite that, we went ahead and did that verbally.
[12:05:33] We're looking at probably 11 counties right now. That number will change. Those are just the ones that we're doing this because we have immediate needs now in 11 counties as we go further and we're dealing with the counties. We are going to see that we'll be adding to that list.
I also think that what we have started doing is today we're having phone conversations with our counties, educating them on what they need to do to do the county assessments properly. We've got people on standing to show them how to do that. And then we also have Mike Moore, who can help discuss that verbal declaration more if you have any questions in reference to that.
I think that's basically the overall summary that I have for you, but now I do want to go and just have certain partners talk with you as we go forward. So we will go ahead and start with - why don't we start with Mike Moore that - to talk about the verbal major disaster declaration.
MIKE MOORE, FEDERAL COORDINATING OFFICER, FEMA: Yes, ma'am.
HALEY: And - and then we'll go from there.
MOORE: Yes, ma'am. Thank you, Governor.
My name is Mike Moore. I'm the federal coordinating officer. It's been appointed under - by President Obama for the current declaration of an emergency that was declared last Saturday. The major declaration that the governor has requested covers, as she said, three basic areas, individual assistance, and that's assistance that's provided to households. Things like housing, assistance, other needs assistance that different households may have. The second major program that she requested is public assistance, and that covers infrastructure damage, emergency protective measures, as she mentioned. Those things that local municipalities may have expended funds on that could be reimbursed, and that's generally at a 75 percent, 25 percent split. The 75 percent being the federal share. And then -
ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Federal and state and local officials now weighing in on the disaster in Charleston, South Carolina, and throughout South Carolina. The governor taking to that microphone with the headline nine now the death toll in the serious flooding and severe weather that that state has endured for the last few days. Pretty remarkable announcements in the governor in that 550 different roads and bridges have now been closed, 2,700 different calls to the Department of Public Safety for help. Not only that, but a verbal request now for the declaration of a major disaster so that assistance can flow in quicker and unimpeded to the people of South Carolina.
That as the president calls the governor to say, quote, that - the governor said, quote, "that the president is extremely gracious and kind" and is there to assist the people of this flooded state.
The pictures, they certainly tell the story. The governor has the facts. And our correspondents are live on the scene. Nick Valencia is live in Columbia, South Carolina. Chad Myers is live in our Weather Center. First to you, Nick. Hearing what the governor says, it certainly matches your reporting, the scenes that you're showing as well, and now the death toll up to nine.
NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Ashleigh, this is dangerous, this is real, that's the message that Governor Nikki Haley emphasized inn that press conference just a short time ago. The death toll jumping from six just a few hours ago to now nine weather related deaths. This rain has just been non-stop, looking over the state, it seems, for several days now and consistent. Just when you think that the intensity of this rain will lift up, it begins again. Over the course of the last hour, that rain has slowed down. But that doesn't mean that they're out of the woods just yet.
These roadways are treacherous. They're nearly impassable at some points. Wide swathes of land just inundated with heavy rain, flash floods. We're here at a hydroelectric facility in Columbia, South Carolina, where you can see the river behind me. It's about 15 feet above average here for this time of the year. And the National Guard troops are on standby for water rescues. You mentioned the governor, Nikki Haley, some of the numbers that she's putting out, Ashleigh. She's saying they've done 25 airlifts, 7,000 National Guard troops on alert, 1,300 already on duty, and 900 - more than 900 citizens currently seeking shelter for the Red Cross or by the Red Cross or in different shelters across the city.
[12:10:04] Part of the concern, of course, from state and local officials is that people will look out their window. They're curious. They're board. And they'll think that it's over. That the situation has stopped. And that's exactly what they don't want to happen. They don't want people to leave their homes because they don't' think that this situation is all together over, a very active situation with this storm continuing to loom.
And if you look at the weather models -I'm sure we'll get more from our meteorologist Chad Myers, but it appears that this - that really the brunt of the damage has been here in places like Columbia, South Carolina, of course, Charleston, South Carolina, where we were yesterday morning. We saw several feet on those roadways. But our jaws dropped when we saw the striking images here that you're seeing all around Columbia, South Carolina, which seems to have suffered the worst of it all.
Ashleigh.
BANFIELD: So the picture - Nick, the pictures that we're showing right beside you were just astounding, the amount of water that fell in such a brief amount of time. And the distance. The amount - the immense geography that this flooding covers.
Stand by, Nick, for a moment. I want to bring in Chad with regard to that.
A few more numbers, Chad, just quickly, that the governor just announced, and that is that 40,000 people don't have drinking water at this time, 26,000 without power, and that is likely to swell. The numbers, she said, will swell. And the issue here, Chad, as I look at your map, is not just the weather, but the runoff. It's continuing to swell everywhere.
CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: The governor was very clear about the Midlands. We'll break down South Carolina, the low country, the low country boil, the midlands and then upstate. And they had a lot of rain upstate and in the midlands. That will eventually have to get down to the low country.
Our flash flood warnings are getting smaller. Our flood warnings will not get smaller. These rivers will be out of their banks, Ashleigh, for weeks, if not maybe more than that in some spots. As the water trickles out of the mountains and finally gets offshore.
This is a - just a huge event when we're talking about two feet of rain spread over such a large area. If you get two feet of rain in a city and it lasts, you know, a couple of days and it all can go away, that's different than what we spread this over an entire state.
Now, we're not going to see much more today. Probably only about an inch. But the damage is done.
There goes the hurricane. This doesn't have a lot to do with Joaquin. It has to do with a low pressure center that developed over the southeast that just dumped tropical-like moisture back into the Carolinas for days, Friday, Saturday and into Sunday.
So here's what it looked like for 36 hours. We'll go back the Greenville and upstate. Three thousand feet. Down here, sea level. All of a sudden, all of this water that has poured upstate has to get down state. And when you talk about 20 inches of rainfall moving anywhere, it isn't going to go all at one time. It's going to pile up in the river basins, and that's where the flooding has occurred. We've seen so many pictures of water all the way up to the rooftops of some of these buildings as they were built in the lower areas. Not even the low areas, just the lower areas in these river banks and this water continues to go that way.
Ashleigh.
BANFIELD: Yes, Chad, and as you were standing there and I see your map, the governor is not kidding when she tells people in those low lying areas like Charleston right there, closer to the coast, that is going to get deluged with that gravity, that water. Stay indoors. Do not go out to look around. This is - this is a desperate situation. Chad Myers in our weather center, thank you.
MYERS: You're welcome.
BANFIELD: And speaking of that city, Charleston, so close to the coast and so far downstream, we're going to speak with the mayor of that city coming up right after the break.
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[12:17:44] BANFIELD: We're continuing our breaking news. The state of South Carolina has verbally declared a major disaster is in their midst in that state. Not surprising considering the unbelievable amounts of rain and the number of rescues they've had to endure in the last 24 hours. And then there's this, nine people now losing their lives to these rising waters. Five-hundred and fifty roads and bridges are now closed across that state. And there are thousands who are calling 911 in emergency, whether they are on the road or in their homes and deluged with this water.
Joining me now live, Joe Riley. He is the major of Charleston, South Carolina, one of the cities gravely affected by these rising waters.
Mayor Riley, thanks so much for being with us. If you could just give me a state of affairs in your city?
MAYOR JOSEPH RILEY JR., CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA: Well, you know, right now, we are really worried about the upper part of the state. I mean we're tending to our needs here, but greater concern about what was going on at Columbia, in that part of the state, which is about 110 miles away.
Here we are well recovered. Water levels are down. We've probably got less than 20 streets where there are partial closures. We - we've had about 18 people evacuated from their homes safely the night before last and, you know, our garbage crews were picking up garbage today. City hall is open. Most businesses are opened. And so we are - we quickly moving back close to normal. And so our district was not harmed, you know, in any substantial way, just water on the streets. So we - I think we've got through it very well. But as I said, our great concern is our neighbors to the north of us, and we've offered our assistance to them. I'm greatly concerned about the situation up there.
BANFIELD: So, Mayor Riley, what I find so incredible is our meteorologist Chad Myers has been reporting these incredible amounts of precipitation that have fallen upstate, as you said. They have to make their way back down state as well. and you seem to be directly in the path of what is sure to be extraordinarily swollen rivers, even more than before. So are you prepared for what is going to happen or are you somehow out of harm's way for when that water does reside back down state and out to the ocean?
[12:20:14] RILEY: Yes, we - the upstate rivers do not run through Charleston harbor or down here. The Attistal (ph) River, to our south, and the Sante (ph) River to our north and west, the northeast, and so those are each about 30 miles away. So we're not - you know, we're not in that drainage basin, if you will. The Cooper River is - collected - was the result of a rivers collected going to Lake Moultrie (ph) and Lake Marian (ph). So our - you know, what we've had here was the largest amount of rainfall in our city's history. This was a major rain event, unprecedented, for a three day period, for a month period or any kind of period, and so we had our hands full in making sure that our citizens weren't injured and protecting property and helping our citizens get through it.
We did, prayerfully happy, no lives were lost here. And so we are - it's all we can deal with. You cannot - you can't replace a life, and that's why our great concern is what's going on in the middle part of our state right now.
BANFIELD: Well, without question, that's the concern of the governor as she headlined her news conference just moments ago, Mr. Mayor, with the news that there are now nine dead.
RILEY: Yes.
BANFIELD: The death toll has risen to nine.
RILEY: That's heartbreaking.
BANFIELD: And 40,000 who don't have water, 26,000 without power. Mayor Joe Riley Jr., of Charleston, South Carolina, thank you so much for taking the time to update us on the people in your city.
RILEY: Sure.
BANFIELD: And if you're watching right now and you want to help those who have been affected by this historic 1,000-year flood, please visit our website, cnn.com/impact. The images are just heart-stopping.
Coming up, more breaking news, an Amtrak train, 98 people on board, rocks on the rails, and the rails don't support the cars. We're going to update you on that derailment and just what's happening in Vermont.
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[12:26:38] BANFIELD: We have breaking news coming to us out of Vermont where an Amtrak passenger train has derailed and apparently a rock slide part of the culprit here. I want to take us right now to CNN correspondent Rene Marsh, who's standing by live with further details.
You've been working your Amtrak source. What do they say happened?
RENE MARSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the official word from Amtrak is essentially that this train 55, train number 55, from St. Albens (ph), Vermont, to Washington, D.C., with 98 people on board, traveling along this set of tracks in this area here about 10 miles south of the state capital when, according to Amtrak, it derailed after striking a rock slide on the track. So that's the preliminary information that we're getting.
You're looking at some images that we're getting in. It's unclear right now how many of these cars actually jumped the tracks. But you can see one there in the brush. We do know that at least four people have been taken to the hospital for injuries. We don't know exactly what kind of injuries they suffered, but Amtrak telling us as far as the initial reports, they're not hearing of any life threatening injuries, which is good news. But, again, it is still early.
We know that their investigators, Amtrak police, they are on their way. The NTSB is collecting information. And we also know that the Federal Railroad Administration has dispatched investigators to the scene. That's when a full blown investigation will get underway. We expect those investigators to arrive there around 1:30 this afternoon to try to officially piece together what caused the situation here where you have a passenger train with almost 100 people on board jump the tracks.
Ashleigh.
BANFIELD: All right, Rene. And the headline there, four people hurt and we are hoping that they're going to be OK.
Rene Marsh reporting for us live. Thank you for that.
Coming up next, what we're learning about that college shooting in Oregon from those who were in the room, survived the massacre, but sadly have to live with what they saw, what they heard, and what they endured for the rest of their lives.
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