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Commissioner Bill Truex (R-Charlotte County, FL) Discusses Hurricane Ian; Vice Mayor Kyle Battie (D-Sarasota) Discusses Hurricane Ian; Orlando Faces Flooding, Possibly Two Feet of Rain In Next Few Days; Extreme Storm Chaser, Aaron JayJack, Discusses Hurricane Ian, Punta Gorda Getting Hit Hard; Things Have Gotten Worse In Punta Gorda Over Last 45-50 Minutes. Aired 2:30-3p ET

Aired September 28, 2022 - 14:30   ET

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

[14:30:00]

COMMISSIONER BILL TRUEX, (R-CHARLOTTE COUNTY, FL) (via telephone): From a structural perspective, I think the buildings will hold up to the wind that have been adjusted to the building codes.

In 2006, Governor Bush signed in the requirements to have window coverings or impact-resistance windows. That was a certain step forward. But there have also been many other steps made and additional tie down requirements and things like that.

It's that rising water, the storm surge, that is so concerning. Your other people who have been on, including the commissioner, basically said a lot of things about that.

But the problem is I think we're at 12-plus what we could be looking at here in Charlotte County. And I'm here at the intercoastal Waterway at the bay and we're going to see significant push of water coming up over the next few hours through several hours, I believe.

It is that that scares me because we did have people -- I think we had 43 residents on Gasparilla Island that did not evacuate.

We have some, I believe, on Don Pedro Island that did not evacuate, even though the water district did cut water supply to them. There are people I think in the low-lying areas of Baywood in Charlotte County that did not leave.

So this tidal surge, this storm surge could really create a negative effect overall. I'm very concerned about our citizenry here in Charlotte County and surrounding areas that are facing this.

ERICA HILL, CNN HOST: Understandably.

As we know, first responders have been grounded essentially for their own safety for the moment. It could be sometime before it's safe to answer any calls.

When you talk about the numbers that you know of, was there an effort to get a list of those folks who were refusing to evacuate so you could, once the storm clears, go back and check on them? TRUEX: I don't have the full details on that, not being with the GOC

(ph). But my understanding at my last update is that they know there are 42 residents on Gasparilla Island.

They've probably had significant information as to which residents those are because they have all of those final lists or not, I am not certain.

I will tell you that the thing we want to caution our public about as this storm passes is there's going to be the need for more, for us to engage with insurance companies and things.

Please be cautious of that. Because we're going through a disaster now. Don't add to that disaster by making some bad decisions. Make certain you do the right thing in contacting your insurance carriers so you can move forward quickly.

Because there's going to be a significant recovery that's going to take place all along this coast.

HILL: It certainly is. It is a long road ahead and we are not just talking about the storm.

Bill Truex, really appreciate you taking the time to join us. Stay safe and keep us posted.

As cities in southwest Florida bear the brunt of Hurricane Ian, others in central Florida, including Orlando, are also in the storm's path. They are now bracing for impact as well.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:37:56]

HILL: Sarasota officials warn everywhere in the county will feel the impact of the storm surge and flood waters.

Kyle Battie is the vice mayor of Sarasota and is joining us now.

Mr. Vice Mayor, give us a sense, it looks a little bit calmer behind you, but even if it is calm, I know this is not going to last.

VICE MAYOR KYLE BATTIE (D-SARASOTA): Oh, no. By no means. (INAUDIBLE)

(CROSSTALK)

HILL: We're having a tough time hearing you, Mr. Vice Mayor. I think we're going to try to work on that connection, see if we can get a little more out of that microphone.

Just to give you a sense, so we were talking to the vice mayor there of Sarasota, just a short time ago, if you were with us before the break. Our correspondent, meteorologist, Derek Van Dam, was in Bradenton. They are very close to each other.

Mr. Vice Mayor, it's Erica Hill in New York. Can you hear me? BATTIE: How you doing, Erica?

(CROSSTALK)

HILL: Oh, good. That's much better. Yes, now I can hear you, sir. Thank so much.

(CROSSTALK)

HILL: Just give us a sense what are you experiencing? We can see some of the wind and the rain behind you. But sometimes in these cases, pictures don't do it justice. We need those details from the ground.

How are things holding up at this hour?

BATTIE: The pictures don't do it justice. The winds are extremely, extremely heavy. Picked up around 1:00 or so. And it's very, relatively light for the most part.

But around 2:00, just waves just got completely, completely missed. You can see the trees behind me. They're just moving in directions.

The storm is extremely strong and I suggest you don't want to take it lightly. Be completely aware of what's going on.

HILL: As we reported yesterday, water to the bridges from barrier islands there were actually shut down yesterday.

BATTIE: Yes.

HILL: Do you know how many people if any decided to stay and ride it out there? And if so, are you concerned they may be cut off for some time?

[14:40:05]

BATTIE: No, we don't have that number. To be honest with you, an approximate number. I know we have about 3,800 people in our shelters.

And 22,000 without electricity. But you know, Florida Power and Light is working on that as we speak and trying to get power back up as best they can.

But you know, the barrier islands separates inland Sarasota. Just hope that the people out there aren't stranded and stay in their home.

A lot of people check their priorities a little different than others and you know, their property and their homes is the place they feel safe and comfortable. They make a decision to stay in.

But you know, I always stress in these situations not to do that because you could be in a situation or something arises where you have to be rescued or what have you.

If an emergency arises, then not only are you in danger, but you're also putting the -- (INAUDIBLE) -- responders -- (INAUDIBLE) HILL: It's such an important point and one that we need to continue to

stress.

Vice Mayor Kyle Battie, there in Sarasota, appreciate you taking the time to join us. Stay safe, sir. Thank you.

BATTIE: Have a good day.

HILL: Hurricane Ian is expected to remain more intact as it crosses the state of Florida. That's why there's more attention being paid to Orlando, which is facing a high risk for flooding. Rainfall totals could approach the two feet over the next couple of days.

CNN's Ryan Young is in Orlando.

Ryan, city officials were initially prepping for some of the folks leaving areas in the west, on the western shore, right, because of evacuations. Now they're preparing for this storm to come their way.

RYAN YOUNG, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. People are watching this forecast and they cannot believe now it's shifting across the state.

As we drove down I-4, there were so many people coming from the Tampa area here to avoid the storm. We arrived at a couple of hotels here. We've talked to families who say they were trying to get out of evacuation areas only to arrive in places where the storm may come.

But they still feel safe because they're in hotels now that have generators and have power.

There are power loss situations throughout this area. In fact, in the next few hours or so, if the wind gets above 39 miles per hour, they'll start shutting down some of the bridged in the area.

This has caught some people by surprise. When we first arrived here, there was no rain. People were walking past us, walking their dogs, going about their day.

Now they understand there's a risk. They started to try to get home to get out of the way of some of the storm.

In fact, we arrived at this Publix and we were talking to people getting last-minute supplies only to see the Publix shut down because they wanted to give their employees a chance to get home and have preparation time.

Because obviously, they didn't expect this to be headed in this direction.

So, Erica, as we're watching things, you can understand people are concerned about the next few hours.

HILL: Yes, they absolutely are.

Ryan, we'll continue to check in with you. Thank you. Just ahead, we'll take you back to Punta Gorda, one of the areas being

hit the hardest at this hour. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:47:54]

HILL: Thank you for staying with us for this live coverage of Hurricane Ian currently hammering Florida's west coast.

Emergency services suspended in many areas, including Punta Gorda, Florida. The National Hurricane Center is now forecasting a life- threatening storm surge in that area of 12 to 18 feet.

Storm chaser, Aaron JayJack, is in Punta Gorda. So that's about 100 miles south of Tampa.

Aaron, this is what you do. You go around and chase these storms. Can you put his in context for us because we keep hearing about how massive and slow-moving this is and how that's going to add to the danger of this storm.

AARON JAYJACK, EXTREME STORM CHASER: Yes, this is one of the nastiest hurricanes I've ever been in. I've been in a lot of hurricanes, Cat 5 included, and I've never experienced so much veracity and the lightning and the thunder here in this eyewall.

We're in the middle of the eyewall right now as it comes ashore here in Punta Gorda. Had a bolt of lightning almost hit next to me. It almost hit the vehicle.

HILL: Yes.

JAYJACK: That just means how much business this storm means. It is a nasty storm.

HILL: As you're making your way around, what are you seeing? Is the infrastructure holding up? How high is the water? Where do things stand at the moment?

JAYJACK: Right now, I'm actually quite surprised. We still have power here. I see a stoplight just down the road. The power is standing up.

But I do expect we haven't gotten to the worst of it yet. The worst is still to come, the inner eyewall right before we hit the eye of the storm.

I expect us to get hit by that Cat 4 winds at that point when we get into that inner eyewall.

Right now, we don't have any surge here yet. I think most of the surge, the worst, is going to stay to the south. Ft. Myers, Cape Coral area and that right southeastern -- that bottom lower right quadrant of the hurricane.

I saw some photos online. I saw they're getting really bad surge there.

We'll probably still get some surge here. But right here, it's mostly going to be very bad wind damage coming up very shortly in the next half hour or so.

HILL: So you're waiting for those winds in the next half hour. Even if you're not going to get that massive storm surge, you're talking about, maybe in other areas close to you, there still is a significant amount of water here, and we know how damaging that can be.

[14:50:06]

What are you seeing in terms of water levels rising?

JAYJACK: I mean, we could get -- this storm could produce, it's forecast to produce 12, 15, 18 feet of surge here. And we are just getting hammered, pummeled by wind now. It is getting worse now.

I think that inner eyewall is getting closer right now here at Punta Gorda.

HILL: So as you're looking at that, I think a lot of people wonder about this, with a storm chaser, when is the moment, right -- we know how dangerous this is.

When is the moment where you yourself would say I need to seek shelter, I need to get somewhere else, this is not safe?

JAYJACK: I mean, I have to monitor. I'm monitoring it by the minute. I do have fall back places. My Alamo, if you will. There's a parking garage just down the street that I can retreat to, especially is a surge comes.

The wind, I can withstand a lot of wind. So unless a lot of debris starts flying. And I'm trying to stay out here in the winds. I'm trying to make sure I get into the center of that storm, trying to capture the pressure of the storm, see what that storm brings.

This could be a significantly historic storm here coming across in western Florida, maybe the strongest storm to ever make landfall here in western Florida.

HILL: Some of that information important as everyone is trying to figure out if this is, in many ways, going to become what we see more often, these stronger, larger storms.

Aaron Jayjack, thank you for joining us. Stay safe. Glad to know you have a place that you can retreat to if it gets to that.

Meantime, the hurricane, as we're following this, as you're seeing, as you're hearing from the folks on the ground, the high wind, the heavy rains and this dangerous storm surge, that is a major focus at this hour.

The director of the National Hurricane Center is with us just ahead. Stick around. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:55:17]

HILL: I want to take you Punta Gorda where we have CNN's Randi Kaye.

So we're looking at Tampa there. Randi is south of Tampa.

We've been watching you move around all day as the conditions are deteriorating. I know you and your team, Randi, have moved to a safe area. It looks like you may have moved since we spoke with you at the top of the hour.

Give us a sense, how have things changed in the last 45 or 50 minutes for you?

RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR & CORRESPONDENT: They've gotten a lot worse, Erica. We've actually moved to the other side of the parking garage where we feel it's a little safer for our team.

Let me show you what's going on outside our window, if you want to call it, on this side of the parking garage. We've been watching these palm trees blowing like crazy.

It feels like we are certainly in the eyewall of this hurricane. It certainly feels like hurricane-force winds upwards of 75 miles per hour here.

But you can see there's some broken trees down. The palms are moving pretty swiftly with this type of wind. We've been watching this now for a while.

I know you were talking to that storm chaser as well. We heard huge collapse of thunder, and a fair amount of lightning here as well.

There's a gas station over there, not much activity on a day like today. But this is what's happening in downtown Punta Gorda.

We've been waiting, of course, for this storm surge. They're about 12 to 18 feet, which is going to come as predicted at least with this storm here.

And we haven't seen much water. There's a little bit of water in the streets but, so far, not too much here.

So things are -- have certainly deteriorated quite a bit. But we are on safe ground, and we will continue to watch it -- Erica?

HILL: All right, Randi, we'll continue to check in with you. Be safe, my friend. I know you will. Thank you.

And so let's get you a sense of what is happening. We're going to keep updated you with the latest involving Hurricane Ian.

We're going to take a quick break here. Our special coverage continues. Stay with us. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)