Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth Begins in Coming Hours; Puerto Rico Loses Power after Hurricane Fiona Hits; Typhoon Nanmadol Forces Japan to Evacuate Millions; Ukraine: Some Russian Units Lost 50% of Troops in Retreat; IOC President Reflects on Queen's Olympic Legacy. Aired 12-1a ET

Aired September 19, 2022 - 00:00   ET

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

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT/ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers all around the world. I'm Becky Anderson, in London.

[00:00:49]

And in just a matter of hours, Britain and the world will say a final farewell to Queen Elizabeth. Her state funeral, steeped in royal tradition and somber pageantry, will mark the last day of national mourning for Britain's longest-serving monarch.

Right now, the queen is lying in state at Westminster Hall, where mourners continue to file past her coffin to pay their respects. It's a scene that's played out around the clock since Wednesday. But in less than two hours, the public viewing will come to a close.

On Sunday, people across Britain paused for a moment of silence and reflection in her honor.

A moment to pay tribute the day before the queen's funeral. Today, politicians, public and faith leaders from around the world are amongst those who will be attending the service.

CNN's Max Foster now with more on how the queen is being honored and remembered.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): U.S. President Joe Biden visited Westminster Hall on Sunday, joining other world leaders paying tribute to Queen Elizabeth II. More than a monarch, Biden said, on news of her death, she defined an era.

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: To all the people of England, all the people in the United Kingdom, our hearts go out to you. And you were fortunate to have had her for 70 years. We all were. The world's better for her.

FOSTER (voice-over): Presidents, prime ministers, kings, queens, sultans representing nearly 200 countries and territories expected to attend the funeral, many of whom joined the reception at Buckingham Palace on Sunday hosted by the new king.

KATE WILLIAMS, CNN ROYAL COMMENTATOR: The reception hosted at the palace tonight is one of the greatest meetings of world leaders we will ever see. This really reflects the queen's work on the world stage, traveling around the world 42 times, 120 countries, hosting state visits when she retired from foreign travel.

FOSTER (voice-over): Charles met with overseas realms earlier in the day, including Tuvalu, Papua New Guinea, Antigua and Barbuda. An exchange of pleasantries, and in all cases, offers of condolence for a son's lost.

On the eve of the funeral, the government advised the public against traveling to join the queue to see the coffin. The world marveled at the patience of those thousands upon thousands, waiting in line for a dozen hours or more, stitching a thread in the national tapestry.

In an interview for the BBC, recorded before the queen's death, the new queen consort, Camilla, spoke for most when she said she can't remember anyone but Elizabeth II being on the throne.

CAMILLA, QUEEN CONSORT: She's got those wonderful blue eyes. But when she smiles, you know, they light up her whole face. I'll always remember that smile. You know, that smile is unforgettable.

FOSTER (voice-over): However she comes to be remembered, Her Majesty's funeral will realize countless hours, weeks, months, years of planning and preparation. The passing of a beloved mother, grandmother, and monarch.

Max Foster, CNN, Buckingham Palace, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Well, it is 5 a.m. in the morning, or just afterwards, here on Monday, September the 19th. It's a busy day.

CNN correspondents following all of the developments for you. Scott McLean is here in London. Nina Dos Santos is outside Buckingham Palace. And Nada Bashir is standing by in Windsor.

Let's begin with you, Scott. You're with those getting the very last chance to pay their respects. What's the mood like there?

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Becky. Yes, that is absolutely right. And this almost seems like a national duty that a lot of people have been coming to carry out over the last four and a half days.

Remember that it was Wednesday, at 5 p.m. local time, that this lineup actually opened, formally, for people to file past the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II. And remember that some people, a handful of them, had spent two nights camping outside just to get the chance.

So let me set the scene for you here. So this is the Palace of Westminster, the houses of Parliament. Just around the corner there is Westminster Hall. That's where the queen's body is lying in state.

And what you see here, the people just below the tower, these are the last of the people who are waiting in the line. You can see, it snakes toward the river Thames, which we are along right now. And then it comes along this way, where it sort of snakes back and forth for quite some time.

Now, either late last night early this morning, they would've cut off the line, so that no one else would be allowed in it. And so the last person to file past the coffin is somewhere back in this direction.

Ladies, just wondering, how long have you been in line? What time did you join the queue at?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: About half-past 8.

MCLEAN: So for six and a half hours or so, you've been here?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. Yes.

MCLEAN: And how are you feeling now?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Tired. It's been a busy week.

MCLEAN: You look it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You're not there yet. We don't know if we're going to make it. There's been lots of stops and starts. I don't know if the last people will get in.

MCLEAN: Why is it so important for you to be here? Where have you come from?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I've come from Surrey. I don't know. It's just called me all week, and this is the only day I've had off from work. So I just -- just felt like I needed to come and just say goodbye.

MCLEAN: Can you tell me about what the atmosphere has been like in the line?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. Jolly, I think.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And chatty. Apart from the last little bit, where we're getting a bit tired.

MCLEAN: You've made some friends?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, definitely. These are new.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

MCLEAN: Oh, you didn't know each other before?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.

MCLEAN: I guess you spent six or seven hours in line with someone, you get to know them pretty well.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

MCLEAN: Thank you, guys. I appreciate it.

Sir, just wondering why it was so important for you to be here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Apparently, I was brought here as a child, as a baby in arms, by my father. And I was here for the coronation, yes. For the queen's coronation.

MCLEAN: You were here for the coronation? You don't look old enough to have been here for the queen's coronation.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm 70. I was eight months old at the time.

MCLEAN: Well, we're going to get the name of your eye cream later so you can get it to me.

Guys, how are you -- how are you making out here? How are you feeling right now?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tired. Very tired.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The worst is over. We're there, aren't we? We're practical there, so -- and this one is a trooper. She's done so well.

MCLEAN: How old is she?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She's eight.

MCLEAN: Eight years old? Wow, there you go.

So Becky, people here from, really, all ages, all areas. We've met people from all across England, of course. From Scotland, from Wales, and as far as Canada, the United States, South Africa, the list goes on and on.

So in about an hour and 20 minutes or so, in theory, the last person should file past the coffin.

And one other thing to mention quickly is that people have been giving numbered wristbands here. The very first ones that were given out on Wednesday had single digits. The first American to go in, he -- his wristband said 12. The wristbands that these folks have on right now, they say 241,000 -- Becky.

ANDERSON: Wow. That's unbelievable, isn't it? Well, I know that the -- the queue was finally closed between sort of 8:30 and 10 p.m. last night. And it is, as I just, just after 5 a.m. in the morning now. Scott McLean, thank you.

Well, security in London is at its highest level in memory, as dozens of world leaders gather for the queen's funeral. You can see preparations happening at Buckingham Palace on Sunday, where workers handled scaffolding. And in a few hours, the queen's coffin will leave Westminster Hall,

carried on the same state gun carriage that was used for the funeral of her father, King George VI.

She will be taken to Westminster Abbey, where an estimated 2,000 people will be in attendance for her funeral service.

Well, for more, I'm joined by Nina dos Santos at Buckingham Palace.

We know that this is a huge security effort. Do we have any idea about the size of the crowds of mourners expected today? And what are authorities doing to ensure everybody's safety?

NINA DOS SANTOS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, just as we speak, Becky-- we you won't be able to see this. But we've got police officers just heading behind our camera as we speak with their torchlights. You can see them just behind me.

They've been inspecting every single inch, including this huge media village that has sprung up to cover this event. All of the camera equipment. They're taking absolutely no chances. I can tell you that.

Just anecdotally, over the last 15 minutes, even, we have had all of our equipment checked. And that gives you an idea of just how seriously they're taking this event.

[00:10:09]

Ten thousand extra officers, as we've been reporting, have been deployed from all over the country. Even one and a half thousand members of the army here.

Because remember, it's not just King Charles III that they have to protect. He's been in Buckingham Palace over the last few days. It is also hundreds of those foreign dignitaries who are arriving.

In fact, we saw a number of them here at a reception hosted by the king yesterday evening. And obviously, they will be arriving at Westminster Abbey at about 8 a.m. That's when the doors open for these foreign dignitaries to start taking their seats.

Some of them might be allowed to travel in their own motorcades, like for instance, the president of the United States, Joe Biden, who's been here now since yesterday, of course, where he attended that reception and arrived in his motorcade.

But we've also seen interesting scenes over the last day or so of foreign dignitaries, leaders, even members of foreign royal families actually having to take the bus, in these blacked-out buses that entered Buckingham Palace for this reception yesterday evening.

In terms of the logistics of what is going to happen, this is such a tightly-choreographed event, as well. They're not taking any chances on that either.

As Scott was just reporting, that line outside Westminster Hall will soon close in less than an hour and a half. As I said, at 8 a.m., foreign dignitaries and local members of charities have been invited. Royals, members of the close family will start taking their seats at Westminster Abbey.

And the queen's coffin will be removed from the catafalque, where it's lying in state at Westminster Hall. It will be loaded onto that gun carriage, which is 123 years old, originally commissioned for Queen Victoria's funeral. Remember, the last very long serving, impactful queen that this country has had before Queen Elizabeth II.

And then it will be pulled by 98 sailors of the Royal Navy before eventually arriving at Westminster Abbey. There will be a service which all last for around about an hour. Leading that funeral procession, of course, will be King Charles III and his three siblings, as well as grandchildren.

When the ceremony ends, the service ends at Westminster Abbey, there'll be a national two minute silence of mourning, and then the rest of the funeral procession will continue to Hyde Park Corner before the queen is her coffin is placed inside a hearse with members of the royal family watching, and then it is driven up to Windsor, Becky.

ANDERSON: Nina dos Santos is outside Buckingham Palace. Prince George and Princess Charlotte, William and Kate's children, will join the royal family today for the formal procession through Westminster Abbey, ahead of what will be an intensely personal service.

Nina dos Santos there.

Well, the funeral later today expected to be watched or -- expected to be the most watched event in television history. The queen's final journey will be to one of the monarchy's oldest castles, where people have been camping out to witness this historic procession.

We'll have a live report from Windsor in just a few moments.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[00:17:18]

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She's just been amazing for 70 years. And I'm 57, and it's all I've ever known. It's all a lot of people have ever known. And she's just given up her whole life to, you know, dedicate to her -- her country. And she's just been fantastic. And everyone is going to miss her.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: One of the many well-wishers there in Windsor, who've been camping out overnight, perhaps hoping to catch a glimpse of Queen Elizabeth's funeral procession.

Her coffin will be taken to Windsor for the committal service after the state funeral in London this morning.

The service at Windsor will be a much more intimate affair, with just the royal family, past and present members of the royal household, and personal staff.

The queen will be laid to rest in the King George VI Memorial Chapel, which lies within St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. The coffin of the queen's late husband, Prince Philip, will also be moved from its current resting place so that he can be buried alongside her.

Well, CNN's Nada Bashir is in Windsor, just West of London, of course, joining me now live. And now the ceremony in Windsor is expected to be an intimate affair for the royal family and those very close to. What can we expect?

NADA BASHIR, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Becky. While the first service held at Westminster Abbey is supposed to be much more of a state affair, this will be somewhat more intimate, more personal.

This is, of course, an estate that was deeply dear to the queen and a place where she spent most of her time later on in life. And of course, this is the very same place where her late husband, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, was buried in April of last year.

So this is a deeply personal affair for the royal family. The second service will be held here. We're expecting to see the queen's coffin, as you heard earlier in Nina's reporting, carried in a procession through central London before it is transported to the state hearse and driven here to Windsor.

Now, this second service at St. George's Chapel just behind me. We are expecting to see around 800 people in attendance. And that will include not only the members of the royal family, but also members of the queen's household, past and present, and also personal staff from across the queen's estates.

And this will be a personal affair. There will be nods to the queen's family. We are expecting to hear hymns that were sung at Prince Philip's funeral in April of last year, as well as prayers read at the queen's father's funeral in 1952, King George VI. And this will be a personal affair.

And as that committal service comes to an end, we will see the queen's coffin being lowered down into the royal vault just below this chapel behind me.

But it is only in the evening that we will see that -- well, we won't see, but there will be the personal burial of the queen. A family affair. That won't be viewed by the public. It will be attended by close members of the family. That will be the queen's final resting place. Conducted, once again, by the dean of Windsor.

[00:20:16]

And of course, as you mentioned there, she will be buried alongside her parents and the late Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, who will be moved to be buried beside the queen.

So this is a place that was very much loved by the queen and the close members of the royal family. And many people who live here in Windsor, who have spent a lot of time here in Windsor, hold this place very dear to them for its connection to the royal family.

As you mentioned, people are already camping out on the streets for their chance to perhaps see members of the royal family arriving at Windsor Castle.

The streets have been closed. As you heard in Nina's reporting, this is a very tight security operation. We're already seeing a significant police presence inspecting the streets, walking around. There's several volunteers and stewards, much as you'd see in central London, right now. This will be a large-scale police operation for the local area, as well.

And there will be also viewing points for members of the public to be able to actually watch the funeral, which of course, is going to be broadcast live. This is quite a large-scale event for many people here.

But it is also a very deeply personal event and a somber event for those who may have become accustomed to seeing members of the royal family, of course, spending much of their time here in Windsor -- Becky.

ANDERSON: Nada is in Windsor. Thank you very much indeed.

Well, in her 96 years, Queen Elizabeth traveled a lot. She visited 118 countries. That's roughly 60 percent of the world's nations. And when you rack up the number of miles that Queen Elizabeth traveled, she completed the equivalent of 42 tours around the globe.

Well, one of those countries was Jordan. And Queen Rania of Jordan, along with her husband, King Abdullah, is one of the many dignitaries from around the world attending the late monarch's funeral today. I had the opportunity to speak to her about the remarkable life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth II.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RANIA AL-ABDULLAH, QUEEN OF JORDAN: The first time I met the queen, I think I was just a few months into my role. And she was quite sensitive to the fact that I was new. And she could tell that, you know, I wasn't too sure of myself.

And I did ask her, you know, her advice. And she told me how important it is to always be there, to have that sense of duty and discipline, to pay attention to the little details. And I've always taken her advice very seriously.

To me, she was public service personified. You know, she is a woman who pledged her life to the service of her people and for 70 years, never once fell short of that promise. And you know, I think today she -- she is the -- she was the queen of

England, but she's also symbolically the queen of the world. She means something to all of us. And, no matter who you are, you feel a sense of affinity and closeness to her.

ANDERSON: You've been struck by the atmosphere, I think, and the crowds and the British public, and those from, you know, around the world who've taken the opportunity to come here. You know, just this sort of coming together.

AL-ABDULLAH: Look, it's been a rough couple of years for the U.K. You know, trying to negotiate a deal with Europe, post-Brexit. A pandemic, a cost of living, inflation. It has been tough.

But I've never sensed the sense of togetherness that I feel today in the U.K.

So, she was a unifying force in her -- during her lifetime. But she's also unifying in her passing.

Today she reminded people of what it means to be British. She gave everybody a sense of perspective. It's been so heartening to see how everybody has come together. Politicians from all sides have sort of closed ranks around their new king.

And today, we mourn the life, but we also celebrate the life. And we celebrate the start of a new chapter for this country. And I'm very optimistic.

ANDERSON: How important is this royal family to the Hashemites?

AL-ABDULLAH: The relationship goes back several decades and spans several generations. His Majesty, King Hussein, and Her Majesty ascended to the throne in 1952, and they've enjoyed almost 50 years of a close friendship, made the more special by their common experience as monarchs.

And, my husband, King Abdullah, inherited and cherished this relationship. He was also very fond of Her Majesty, as was I. It's impossible not to be. And we have a very close relationship with His Majesty and the queen consort, Camilla.

And -- and my son now is very close with Prince William.

So, it's a relationship that goes through generations and one that we really hold close. Because it's based on common values. My husband, as you know, has served in the British army, as well. And my son also graduated from Sandhurst. So, it's -- you know, it's multifaceted and goes back a very long way.

[00:25:08]

ANDERSON: Her Majesty's reign was during a period where the end of colonialism was -- was seen. And there is a respect for the British monarchy, intertwined with some issues that came from that era.

How do you see the relationship developing going forward?

AL-ABDULLAH: Her Majesty has always led by principle and was willing to change and modify policies as she so fit. And so, I think people understand that where the monarchy stands today is very different than -- vis-a-vis these issues than it was.

Every era has its own circumstances. And moving forward, like I said, His Majesty has a deep understanding of our region, a deep respect.

AL-ABDULLAH: Queen Rania, he also has a deep admiration for and interest in Islam, which I think is really important as we consider the relationship that the British monarchy has with the Middle Eastern and wider region, Gulf region, going forward.

AL-ABDULLAH: Absolutely. Because he's a very thoughtful person. He's somebody who knows things and studies things deeply. So, when he -- when he deals with the Muslim world, he deals with it with a sense of nuance and a sense of experience and knowledge.

So he knows the region very, very well and really knows how to navigate. He's a very wise man. I have no doubt in my mind how -- how much he will enhance relations, not just with our part of the world but with every part of the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Queen Rania of Jordan speaking to me earlier.

Well, still ahead, a lot more on the queen's funeral. We'll discuss the historical significance of this day, as well as the impact that the queen has had worldwide. More on that after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:30:36]

ANDERSON: Well, welcome back to our viewers in the United States and around the world. I'm Becky Anderson for you in London, where the time is just after half past five in the morning.

In just a few hours, world leaders, dignitaries and the royal family will gather at Westminster Abbey, not far behind me here, to say goodbye to Queen Elizabeth II.

Well, to honor her memory, Buckingham Palace released this previously unseen portrait of the monarch ahead of her funeral later today.

And this is how British media are portraying the upcoming ceremonies. Some of the local newspaper headlines reading, "Final farewell. And silence reigns."

Well, the state funeral will be steeped in royal tradition, honoring the monarch's long reign and service. And it's been carefully planned for years and will cap off almost ten days of public memorials. All week long, we've seen thousands of people queuing for hours,

hoping to see Her Majesty lying in state at Westminster Hall before that opportunity closes in the next 19 minutes or so.

Well, joining me now to discuss the queen's legacy and the significance of this day is writer and broadcaster Bidisha Mamata.

It's fantastic to have you with us. You've been with us now for some days over this -- over this period. You and I are from -- from London, and there is a sense of stillness and silence to this city that I simply have never known. It is quite a remarkable feeling. The streets will be packed later on today.

As we consider this moment in time, your reflections?

BIDISHA MAMATA, WRITER AND BROADCASTER: It's been such a strange week. And as a born and bred Londoner, what I love is that this is a city with centuries of history. Not just 19th Century. But going back to the medieval period and beyond. And yet, at the same time, it's full of grifters and grafters.

So you have 50 percent of people just steadily getting on with it. You know, it's a very queenly spirit. I'm going to get up in the day and get on with it.

And then you've got the whimsy of the queue, the legendary queue. And people are actually making friends in it. So they're not just mourning in sorrow. They're sort of remembering, but with a sense of I want to be a part of this.

And then you have the uncanniness of all of the areas around Westminster and the palaces. Beautiful old bridges. People just massing together.

I went into town yesterday, away from my professional capacity, just to see what it was. And people are drawn to the center of town like a magnet.

If you ask someone, why are you here, they can't quite tell you. And yet, there was a sense of festivity and positivity in the air. A feeling that we haven't had for a while. People are looking ahead to a darker autumn and winter.

But don't forget, we've come out of a pandemic. So this is a feeling of, look, let's just reach a high point and gain some perspective here.

ANDERSON: Yes. It's -- it's remarkable. And if the statistics or the -- the authorities are to be believed, there could be as many as a million mourners around this area behind us later on today.

I want to talk a little bit more about Westminster Abbey. We've got a photo, released by the Abbey of the company of ringers who will be sounding the Abbey's bells before and after the funeral today. These guys have been practicing for this. They'll have known about it, at least in planning, for -- for years now. But this is another example of people coming together behind the

scenes to ensure that this is a real moment in time.

MAMATA: I love the shot of these men in their short sleeves. What are they doing? They're getting down to work.

So what happens over the next few hours, the next 12 hours, really, is the combination of not just months, but years of practice. This is all going to go seamlessly, and I know it will, because it's been practiced time and time again, probably practiced at midnight or 1 a.m. or even now.

I don't believe that even one of the foreign dignitaries who's been invited is sleeping. I think they're already up and full of anticipation, getting ready.

All the bell ringers are sort of going over their notes in their head, because they know that not only 500 dignitaries and 2,000 guests but billions of eyeballs all over the world are looking for us as Londoners to bring it.

[00:35:05]

What do we bring? We bring ceremony, fun, quirkiness, history. All of the seriousness, but all of the sense of ceremony and enjoyment bundled up together, with a sense of sobriety and mourning, and respect for remembrance. Because we're trying to give people something to remember.

ANDERSON: Those bells will toll 96 times, of course. That was the age of Queen Elizabeth II when she passed away peacefully at Balmoral a week ago on Thursday.

And you talk about eyeballs. This is going to be one of the most watched ever televised events.

Thank you for your time.

MAMATA: Thank you.

ANDERSON: Bidisha Mamata.

Well, I'll have more from London in just a few moments. First, let's get you some of our other news. And Michael Holmes has got that at CNN Center in Atlanta -- Michael.

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Good to see you Becky. Thanks for that.

We're going to take a quick break. When we come back, Hurricane Fiona hits Puerto Rico with a fury, now with no electricity and predictions of catastrophic flooding. We'll look at who's next in the storm's path.

Also, Ukraine's military takes control of a key river and repels more Russian attacks. We'll have details on the progress to liberate more cities when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: All of Puerto Rico is in the dark after being hit by Hurricane Fiona on Sunday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(WIND HOWLING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: You hear there the strong, howling winds. The torrential rain knocking out the territory's power grid, which might take days to get back online.

And the National Hurricane Center is predicting life-threatening and catastrophic flooding. Floodwaters were able to wash away an entire bridge in one town, captured in this video from social media.

Meteorologist Pedram Javaheri joins me now with more on where the storm is going next -- Pedram.

[00:40:03]

PEDRAM JAVAHERI, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, Michael, you know, it's been such a quiet season. A lot of people maybe kind of caught off-guard when you have these storms really pick up in intensity and very quickly in the past 24 hours.

We have a storm system as such, with Fiona pushing right across portions of the Leeward Islands and eventually making landfall in Southwestern Puerto Rico in the past seven or eight hours.

And you notice, 85-mile-per-hour winds, Category 1 equivalent here as it moved to shore. The system already producing gusts well over under miles per hour scattered about this region, as well.

But it is on the move. As Michael noted here, 100 percent of the island without power at this hour. So again, it speaks to just the intensity of the storm as it moved to shore. Incredible amount of rainfall on the backside of it, as well.

But notice, next in line here, the island of Hispaniola. That's around areas of the Dominican Republic, on the Southeastern coast, not far from Punta Cana. We're watching this carefully.

And notice, nearly the entirety of Puerto Rico underneath flood alerts at this hour. Given the amount of rains that have already come down and what is forecast to come down here. Some models putting down as much as ten, maybe 15 inches of rainfall. Isolated totals pushing over 20 inches, as well.

And you notice, this is a very elevated terrain, quite a bit of steep topography across this region, as well. But notice what the forecast guidance is. Within the next few hours, we do expect the system to make a sharp

right turn. It will avoid much of the dense mountains of Hispaniola here where elevations get up to over 10,000 feet high. In fact, Pico Duarte, right there across the central Dominican Republic is the highest mountain across the Caribbean. Rises to over 10,000 feet.

But notice again, it kind of dodges the inland portion of the island. And eventually, very quickly becomes a Category 3 major hurricane. That will be the first of the season, potentially skirting just past areas of the Turks and Caicos.

And notice where it ends up. Possibly late this week, areas around Bermuda. Want to be on alert for an approaching system still quite a ways out. But it is forecast to strengthen in the coming several days -- Michael.

HOLMES: All right. Appreciate it, Pedram. Thanks so much. Pedram Javaheri there.

Now, more severe weather moving across East Asia this hour. Nearly 10 million people ordered to evacuate their homes in Japan, as Typhoon Nanmadol lashes the island of Kyushu.

The -- Japan has issued its highest disaster alert as authorities warn of unprecedented storms and rainfall.

Meanwhile in Taiwan, state media reporting at least one person died from a 6.9 magnitude earthquake. The tremors so strong they collapsed a bridge, as you can see there, twisting its supports right out of the ground.

Officials report more than 100 aftershocks have been recorded.

CNN's Blake Essig joins me now from Tokyo with more. We'll get the latest on the Taiwan quake in a moment, but let's start with the impact of what was a huge storm in Japan where you are.

BLAKE ESSIG, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Michael, Super Typhoon Nanmadol will go down as one of the strongest typhoons Japan has ever seen, with wind gusts reaching about 145 kilometers per hour at its peak.

For days, experts had been warning about a potential large-scale disaster on Japan's Kyushu Island, fueled by high winds, storm surge, and torrential rain.

The good news here: it seems at least to this point, that potential large-scale disaster has been avoided. But, Typhoon No. 14, as it's known here in Japan, the country's 14th typhoon this year, has caused problems.

So far about 10 million people, as you mentioned, living in Southern and Western Japan have been ordered to evacuate as a result of this violent storm. Hundreds of thousands of homes across several prefectures are without power. And NHK, Japan's public broadcaster, is reporting that more than 40 people have been injured. It's also worth noting that hundreds of flights in the region today

and yesterday have been canceled. And bullet-train services have also been suspended on several lines until at least later this afternoon.

Now, this slow-moving yet powerful typhoon made landfall near Kagoshima City on Kyushu Island around 7 p.m. local time on Sunday and is now headed towards Tokyo, bringing with it heavy rains, strong winds, which could, of course, cause landslides and flooding. That's a big concern.

Now, super -- the super typhoon wasn't the only natural disaster to impact the region. As you mentioned, on Sunday in Taiwan, a strong 6.9 magnitude earthquake hit off the island's Eastern coast. It's the largest earthquake Taiwan has recorded so far this year.

Trains were derailed. Buildings collapsed. And as of Monday morning, nearly 700 people remain trapped on two separate mountains in the Southeastern part of Taiwan.

Taiwan officials say all of those people have been taken into local shelters and will be evacuated at some point today as authorities work to clear road blockages.

And so far, as a result of that quake, one person has died after being struck by a machine while working at a cement factory. And Michael, nearly 150 people have been injured.

HOLMES: All right. Blake, thanks so much for the updates there. Blake Essig in Tokyo for us. Thanks.

Now, Ukraine grappling with the grim aftermath from the retreat of Russian forces in the country's East. The mayor of Izium says authorities will be exhuming bodies for another two weeks.

[00:45:06]

The city was under Russian occupation for more than five months. And Ukraine's defense ministry reports at least 440 unmarked graves were found.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces say they've seized control of a key river in the Kharkiv region. This video shows a military vehicle using a pontoon bridge to cross the Oskil River.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says they're gearing up to liberate more cities.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Perhaps it seems to someone now that, after a series of victories, we have a certain lull. But this is not a lull. This is preparation for the next sequence of words that are very important to us all and that definitely must be heard.

(END VIDEO CLIP) HOLMES: Kyiv accuses Russian forces of committing more than 34,000 crimes of aggression and war crimes since the war started. This after Ukrainian authorities say they found locations Russian forces used as torture rooms.

Jill Dougherty is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University. She's also a CNN contributor and former CNN Moscow bureau chief. Always good to see you, my friend.

Let's talk about, the West estimates that anywhere up to 80,000 Russian troops have been killed or wounded. You can't cover those numbers up forever. Is the increasing body count getting through to people? What would happen if more Russians knew how bad things are going in Ukraine?

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: You know, it's complicated, because you have to look at who is serving and who's dying. Because I think the impression that a lot of people have is, you know, it's regular Russian boys (ph). Well, some of them are.

But, a lot of them are what Russians call "kontraktniki," which is contract soldiers. So these are really, you know, people who volunteered to serve. They get paid. They have contracts, and that's one group.

And then also, don't forget, some of the people who are serving are from very poor areas of Russia, places you may not have even heard of. Buryatia (ph), Tuva. You know, these are republics sometimes way out in Siberia. Very poor. And people serve because they need the money.

So, the effect -- I mean, when you say, Well, what's the effect on average Russians? It's really not quite as average. Although, again, there are average boys who are serving. But it's -- it's more complicated than that.

HOLMES: Yes.

DOUGHERTY: Plus, Michael, it's been talked about. They do have people from prisons who are being, you know, taken to serve.

HOLMES: Yes. And to that point about what people are hearing, what are you hearing on Russian state media, because I know you follow it. I mean, I've heard some commentators criticizing how the war is going. Others urging dramatic escalation.

I heard -- I heard the other day, a couple of commentators saying it's NATO troops, American troops who are doing the fighting on the ground. Which seems crazy, but what's the overall tenor and messaging? And has it changed?

DOUGHERTY: I think that is more diffused right now. I really think this counter-offensive by the Ukrainians has kind of thrown all the cards into the air in a way.

And so you have people who, like those city councilors, albeit on a very low political level, but you've probably heard of city councilors, both in St. Petersburg and in Moscow who have had petitions that Putin should step down and the war should end. So that's one side of the spectrum.

And the other side would be, you know, very rabid nationalists who say Putin is weak and that he's not really doing enough. And that Russia ought to basically destroy Ukraine and really take the fight to them.

So it is kind of diffused, but I'd say the -- the atmosphere is more tense, I think, in discussing what's going on in this war.

HOLMES: Yes. Fascinating and great analysis, as always. Jill Dougherty, good to see you. Thanks so much.

DOUGHERTY: Thank you, Mike.

HOLMES: Still to come, Becky will have a look back at the queen's love of sport and the Olympic Games including her famous appearance with 007, James Bond. The IOC president reflects on that and more when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:53:21]

ANDERSON: It's just after 10 to 6 in the morning here in London. I'm Becky Anderson.

Through seven decades of triumph and tragedy, Queen Elizabeth remained a constant supporter of the Olympic Games and Britain's athletes. International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach sat down with our partners at Euro Sport to discuss Her Majesty and her love of the games.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

THOMAS BACH, PRESIDENT, INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE: In every appearance she made at sport, you could feel and everybody could experience her -- her joy of sport and being among people. And this sent a very positive message about the role of sport in society to everybody, even beyond the Commonwealth.

She has clearly set an Olympic record, because she's the only head of state who opened two Olympic Games: 1976 in Canada. It did not go without saying that the queen, you know, would be welcome in such a heartfelt way. And in the stadium, you realized that the -- then there were the fireworks after, and everybody was looking at her as she opened the games in English and in French to show her appreciation for the French-speaking part of Canada.

And I think this had an impact beyond the Olympic Games on the relations between Canada and the United Kingdom.

[00:55:03]

When you speak with people about the London games, the first remark, and if not the first, then the second remark, You remember the queen and James Bond?

We had no clue what I learned afterwards, is even her children did not have a clue. It was just wow. Everybody was -- was stunned and excited and also some were still speechless.

We heard the information from people close to her that first they didn't believe it, that it would really be her. Only when they saw the Corgis, then they believed, you know, this is really Her Majesty.

So it was a total -- a total surprise, therefore, for everybody. And this made it so phenomenal. And you know, showed her great sense of humor.

You always had, you know, the impression that at sports events, she was relaxed, and she was herself. And this is one of the lasting moments of this games, which you know, set the tone for these games.

Her legacy in the Olympic movement, in particular, will be carried forward by the Princess Royal, who has been an equestrian athlete herself, her daughter, even Olympic medalist. That's a great Olympic heritage already in the family.

I know that she will carry forward this great legacy and this great heritage of her mother, Her Majesty.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Thomas Bach there.

Well, I'm Becky Anderson. Our live coverage of what is this historic day here in London continues after this short break. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:00:00]