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CNN Live Saturday

Hurricane Dennis Heads Toward Gulf Coast; London Is Evacuating Entertainment District

Aired July 09, 2005 - 17:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hurricane Dennis still packing a powerful punch, lashing the Florida Keys after giving Cuba a beating. This hour, we're live with the latest.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. JEB BUSH, FLORIDA: This is serious. This is a very dangerous storm. And we hope that you will evacuate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Calls for evacuations in Florida as that state once again braces for the worst. We'll go there live.

Plus, new details today about the terrorist attacks in London. We'll have the latest.

Hello, everyone, I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Welcome to an expanded edition of CNN LIVE SATURDAY. Those stories ahead, but first, here are some other headlines.

North Korea says it will return to six-party talks on its nuclear program. The talks are scheduled to begin the week of July 25th. North Korea's change of heart came as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in Beijing. The North says it's returning to the six-way talks because, it says, the U.S. retracted a statement by Rice. Earlier this year, she called the country "an outpost of tyranny."

The U.S. military today announced a new crackdown on insurgents in Iraq. Operation Scimitar focuses on the area around Fallujah. It began Thursday. The U.S. says about 500 Marines and about 100 Iraqi troops are taking part in Scimitar. They've already detained 22 insurgent suspects.

Our top story: Hurricane Dennis approaching landfall, but the outer band already drenching much of Florida. As the system spirals through the Gulf of Mexico, its eye is set on the battered northern Gulf Coast. Dennis, a category 2 hurricane, is expected to strengthen even more before it hits land.

Evacuations of coastal areas are under way across Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. Landfall is expected sometime tomorrow between Pensacola, Florida, and Mobile, Alabama. We have reporters all along the Gulf Coast to bring you the very latest. First, an update on where Hurricane Dennis is right now. Let's check in with meteorologist Jacqui Jeras -- Jacqui. JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, Fredricka, Dennis is ramping up right now. We've been seeing signs of strengthening all day, and finally, those winds have picked up as well -- 105 miles per hour, and the official forecast now has Dennis as a category 3 when it makes land fall. Category 3 of 111 to 130-mile-per-hour winds. So that puts it back into the major hurricane category when it makes landfall. We think that's going to happen somewhere within a 24-hour window of right now, likely sometime tomorrow, mid to late afternoon.

There you can see the forecast track. Somewhere near Pensacola. You still really have to be aware that we could see changes in this forecast track. Right now, it's moving up to the north and west at 14 miles per hour. However, a slight north-to northwesterly turn is expected later in the forecast period, so keep in mind if you live anywhere within this cone area, you need to finish your final preparations now as Dennis could change a bit.

Category 3, what does that mean to you? Storm surge as high as 9 to 12 feet, large trees and utility poles are knocked down, small homes are damaged, and those low-lying escape routes get cut off hours before landfall.

And remember that you are under a hurricane warning at this time from the Pearl River extending over to the Steinhatchee River.

Good news, though, on the hurricane warning, it's been dropped now for the Florida Keys, and that has been changed over to a tropical storm warning. So the Keys -- the worst of it is over whir for you, but you're going to continue to see some of the heavy rainfall.

The tornado threat also exists across much of the Florida peninsula, starting from the Big Bend area all the way down through the Keys, but the eastern coast at this time doing just fine. We'll watch and see if we see any changes as these outer bands approach, but Fredricka, strengthening right now, expected to continue to strengthen, with 105 mile-an-hour winds, and within 24 hours, we'll likely see landfall.

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks a lot, Jacqui.

Well, Key West, thankfully, avoided a direct hit. Hurricane Dennis skirted west of the lower Keys before roaring into the Gulf of Mexico. Now, coastal areas in four states are bracing themselves, ordering evacuations. Before many people packed up, they boarded up homes and businesses.

Let's show you the impact Hurricane Dennis has already had. Reporters from our affiliates are all over the area. We begin right now in Manatee County, Florida.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No injury, no loss of life, but we've seen some damage from those first feeder bands you were talking about. And we're going to pan around and show it to you while I tell you that the deputy fire chief for east Manatee County did tell me it appears this is a tornado touchdown. One of the reasons they think that, these little girls heard it this morning about 6:00, they said. It wasn't a loud wind, it was a boom, one said it sounded like a bomb, an explosion.

This is the damage you see. They're cleaning up right now.

Just how heavy were the winds? Well, let me show you what this grill looks like. This is a barbecue grill, and it's got to be more than 100 pounds. You can't even lift it. It was blown all the way out here.

That's one of the reasons when we tell you you got to clean up and clear your patio out when a hurricane's coming -- that's it.

As we walk up here, you can see other evidence that it could have been a tornado, because a straight line, this next lanai, this screen and porch also damaged. Look at how that was just blown apart right over here. It is absolutely incredible. And if you pan a little bit further to the left, you'll see a tree, a couple of trees, actually, that have been blown out of the ground. Those are palm trees, so again, indicative of extreme straight winds, very strong winds, and that's where we are right now.

Again, near the Manatee River, and we have been monitoring on storm chaser. You can't see it right now because of the light, but as you say, we had that first feeder band. It looks like there's more feeder bands on the way, about 50 or 100 miles away.

These people are actually trying to clean up what they can before the next storms come in with more wind.

RAD BERKY, CORAL GABLES, FLORIDA: For the longest time this morning, it was the tree and us, and that was about it. We finally got some barricades out here to at least alert drivers with some flashing lights that it's actually two trees, because, while it looks like just the crown of one, there's actually another one behind it.

Where we are is Hardy Road in Coral Gables. Linate Street is the intersection here. And as you look at the crew making short shrift of these two trees, let's roll some pictures, and you can see they've got their work cut out for them, because along this Hardy Road area here, we've counted at least eight, nine, 10 big ficus trees that have come down. A couple of the trees have fallen on cars. One tree we found up against the side of a house.

But again, the damage seems to be in this one central area here around Hardy Road. We even went up as far as U.S. 1 to take a look at U.S. 1, and we could find that U.S. 1 was open. Traffic is moving very smoothly, so on U.S. 1 itself, there's really no problem, but it is back in this Hardy Road neighborhood here, a pretty exclusive enclave in an already exclusive Coral Gables area, that has just been hit hard by a number of these old, old, shallow-rooted ficus trees that came down last night around 1:00.

We had a very strong burst of a thunderstorm that came in here, followed by another one, and that is that sort of a train of storms that wound its way through Dade County up into Broward County, up into the Davie area, where you've seen so many reports from the Davie Beach area and Fort Lauderdale and that sort of thing. But it all started right here in this little Hardy area of Coral Gables.

So we just wanted to let you know that having watched these trees all morning, the crews are here. The crews are out working, and I've sure they're in other neighborhoods of Coral Gables as well.

From the Gables, Rad Berky, Local 10 News.

WHITFIELD: Remember, CNN is your hurricane headquarters for information. Stay with us day and night for up to the minute coverage. We have crews along the Gulf Coast allowing us to deliver the most comprehensive coverage of Hurricane Dennis. Another live update is coming up within minutes.

Plus, the London terror investigation. New details today about how the bombings were executed. A live update from London straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Updating you now on Hurricane Dennis. Strong wind gusts and minor damage are being reported in Key West and parts of South Florida, other parts of South Florida. On the northern Gulf Coast, folks are getting ready. Homes and businesses are boarded up, and residents and tourists have moved inland. The category 2 hurricane is expected to get stronger before hitting the Gulf Coast somewhere between Pensacola, Florida, and Mobile, Alabama on Sunday.

At last word, power was out across Key West, but it could have been much worse. Dennis struck a glancing blow as it passed to the west of the island. We received this report from Jeff Weinsier of CNN affiliate WPLG.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF WEINSIER, WPLG-TV CORRESPONDENT (on camera): In every perspective, we're on the second floor now of the Best Western that I wanted to show you, South Roosevelt Boulevard. You cannot tell where the Atlantic Ocean is. You cannot tell where the road is. And believe it or not, we see people every now and then driving by.

The winds continue to pound the area just north of the Key West Airport. As far as damage goes, that Best Western sign is probably the worst damage that we have seen at this hotel.

A little further down, you can see the storm surge that is coming over. It is flowing into a wooded area between the two hotels here. Where it's going, we have no idea, but it has been flowing like this since about 8:30 last night.

Throughout the area, there are downed trees, like that small palm over there. But there's even a more hazardous situation on U.S. 1, where we saw a tree across the entire road.

Some more damage, not really severe, at the Best Western. Exit signs that have snapped off the roof. That tiki hut was once standing straight up, but when you have winds at 40, 50, 60, 70 miles an hour pounding you for 10 to 12 hours, you start to lean.

We are now at the backside of the Best Western, and all the storm surge that you saw in the parking lot has created a brand new river.

All the storm surge is actually flowing into a lake behind the Best Western, but that lake is starting to fill up, and you can see, it is now starting to flood.

We haven't had power here at the Best Western since about 11:00 last night, but the lines are all still up. We've seen some homes where shingles have flown off and the roofs have been damaged, but here at the Best Western, they're taking a direct hit, and the metal roof standing up just fine.

A huge concern here, deadly missiles. As in heavy coconuts flying off palm trees.

How much water have we had here in the parking lot? Well, here's a good indication. This is all seaweed that has flown out of the Atlantic.

We discovered even though wildlife wants to get out of this weather, right there, last night, a snake trying to get into our motel room.

That's the very latest in Key West. I've Jeff Weinsier. Back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Besides Hurricane Dennis, another developing story we're following for you, north of London, an evacuation of a city center. More on that when we come right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: More on this developing story about the terror concerns in Britain today. North of London, where they're evacuating the city's entertainment district. Our Jim Clancy is in London with the latest on that, as well as the ongoing investigation of the terror attacks in London.

First, let's begin with what's happening in Birmingham -- Jim.

JIM CLANCY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, right now, police are telling patrons in the city's center, in a bar and restaurant area that probably is oh, a half a mile or three-quarters of a mile long, that it's time for them to go home. They've already shut down the streets there. That would force some of these bars to close, oh, an hour or so early, but many of the nightclubs would be looking to stay open much later than that.

They've already had those bars and nightclubs and restaurants in that immediate area search themselves and had some police in there searching as well for the possibility of any bags or anything left inside those buildings, inside those establishments. But now they're telling people that it is time probably for them to go home. Why? It is all based on intelligence. Now, that is the operative word that is being used here. Is this an evacuation? No, not technically, not literally, but certainly, it's approaching that.

They first had gotten word about 8:00. They now have a telephone number that residents can call for an update. They have been doing that, giving them that information. Thus far, though, no specifics. Precautionary notes being taken by the security, the police there in Birmingham.

It is noteworthy that that is a city with many, many immigrants and with a known, a large Muslim population. But other than that, there are no conclusions that can be drawn -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: OK, now, let's talk about the ongoing investigation there in London. You're still at King's Cross, which was the hardest hit subway station of the three subway stations, and then, of course, there was the double-decker bus incident. What are investigators saying now about the kinds of evidence they're able to get?

CLANCY: Well, they're saying several things. They're saying, yes, they know that it was high explosives. They believe now, because the three underground explosions happened so close together, within a matter of literally seconds or even less than seconds, moments, they believe that these were timers that were used. They don't believe that it was suicide bombers.

The bus, the double-decker bus that you mentioned, they still don't have all the evidence on that, although they say they have evidence -- they believe that it was concealed in some kind of a bag or a backpack.

Now, we also heard that they are continuing their search for evidence and trying to recover more victims deep underground here where I am at King's Cross station. And they're trying to bring out some of those bodies. We understand they did some today, but it is tough going.

Here's what the police had to say a short time ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDY TROTTER, BRITISH TRANSPORT POLICE: We are facing particular challenges at Russell Square. The search was halted overnight because of the increasingly difficult conditions, but resumed again early this morning. I visited the search teams there, and they are facing particularly difficult conditions. It is extremely hot and very dusty, and it is a great challenge for them to continue their work to recover the remaining bodies from the train underground.

This work was -- it will be slow, methodical and meticulous, and, at the same time, the forensic recovery teams are working alongside them in order to ensure that no clues are lost.

(END VIDEO CLIP) CLANCY: You could see the evidence of the concern for the victims of this tragedy from ordinary Londoners. Stacks of bouquets of flowers piling up alongside messages.

And then, in among all of that posted on the walls, we saw messages to all of those who are missing. I think one Londoner that we talked to this day, Margaret Goldstein (ph), really summed it up.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are Londoners. We've -- we only live up the road, and we are absolutely horrified at what has happened to innocent people. I find it just horrific, what has happened. It is a massacre of innocent people. I'm sorry. I just find it just awful, that London -- but we will fight through.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CLANCY: Determination in her voice and in so many voices we heard today, but also, profound sorrow, not only for the victims that are known, but for the victims that are unknown, the many people who are still missing tonight. Fredricka, back to you.

WHITFIELD: All right, Jim Clancy, thank you so much from London.

Now, Jim just reported just moments ago that it's not being considered an evacuation in Birmingham, just about 100 miles north of London, but instead, the city's center or the city's entertainment district is closing down early.

Let's check in with Paul Cole, who is on the telephone with us from "The Sunday Mercury News." And, Paul, best describe what's taking place there.

PAUL COLE, SUNDAY MERCURY NEWS: OK, Fredricka. The information we have tonight is that the security services have had some intelligence that there may be a terror alert threat to Birmingham here. They have asked the entertainment district to evacuate tonight, and people are being cleared out of nightclubs, pubs, restaurants, hotels and theaters. We estimate 30,000 people in all are being cleared out of the city center as we speak. They're also sealing off the city center to stop traffic coming in tonight. We have a ring road around the city about a mile out, and they're stopping any traffic coming past that.

WHITFIELD: So it sounds like we've got conflicting reports about the language of whether it's an evacuation or they're just merely asking a lot of the businesses to close at least an hour earlier.

Does it appear that the crowd of people who have been in that entertainment district are following such orders?

COLE: They are following the orders. It's certainly an evacuation. The police are going into the clubs and they are telling people to leave quickly but calmly. The thing kicked off tonight with a controlled explosion on a double-decker bus in the city center, and there seemed to be a number of other alerts across the city.

WHITFIELD: Well, why did that happen?

COLE: There was a suspect package on the bus, and the bomb disposal squads moved in to carry out an explosion to remove any threat from it.

WHITFIELD: All right. And they're not learning anything as of yet about what that package really ended up being?

COLE: Still early...

WHITFIELD: Still early?

COLE: ... at this stage. There is due to be a police press conference within the next few minutes.

WHITFIELD: All right, we'll be checking in with our sources on that as well. Paul Cole of the "Sunday Mercury News" out of Birmingham, thank you so much, about that evacuation or the early closing of businesses.

Now, meantime, the terror attacks in London have certainly changed lives from throughout Europe and even in the United States. Well, one American who happened to be in London at the time of the attacks this week is now joining us on the telephone from New York, Ben Valazquez.

Ben, give us an idea of why you were in London and where were you? Well, there you are live. Didn't know you were going to be live with us, but instead on the phone. Where were you exactly at the time of the explosions?

BEN VALAZQUEZ, BOMBING SURVIVOR: I was actually in the train itself. I was in a circle line going towards -- had left Liverpool going to Aldgate, and I was in the car next to the one that exploded. It was about 8:50 in the morning. I had my iPod on, and I heard the loud bang through the iPod. And then, white dust started coming in, and all of a sudden, sparks started flying. And then, black smoke started coming in, at which point I thought I was going to die, because I thought I was going to die from suffocation, because there was no ventilation there.

And people started screaming. And we immediately all got up. At one point, we thought the ceiling was going to cave in on us. We got up and we started calming each other down, and then there was a call for a medic or doctors, because in the car next to us, there were people badly injured, and then started smelling smoke, and it took about 20 to 25 minutes before someone came down. And, in the meantime, people were trying to calm each other down, comfort each other. And we looked outside and we could see two dead bodies on the track itself.

And then, the emergency crew came in, and they told us to move to the side so we could let the badly injured get through. So a number of people coming in with blood gushing out of their heads, other parts of their bodies.

We finally evacuated, and we had to walk through the actual scene. And, again, I saw the two dead gentlemen there, and I looked, and the whole train was blasted out. And there were people, body parts all over the place. There were still some people sitting but motionless, with rescue crew trying to help them out. We were telling the ladies in front of us not to look over to the bodies. One of them did and almost collapsed.

Immediately thereafter, we came out, and there was about 100 policemen out there, taking down our information. And about five double-deck buses out there with medics taking care of people.

Right after I got out, I gave them my business card, immediately called my mother. It was reliving all over September 11th for me.

WHITFIELD: It certainly sounds like it was chaos, but, at the same time, it sounds like an awful lot of people managed to kind of keep it together to help one another, to guide one another through. Describe what that must have been like, to witness that and be part of that.

VALAZQUEZ: It was very comforting. To see everyone just, you know, trying to calm each other down, working with each other and try to stay focused was good, because otherwise, I don't think I would have been able to handle that experience.

WHITFIELD: Now, Ben, after having experienced 9/11 and now what a lot of the Brits are calling 7/7, do you see yourself getting on any mode of public transportation? Kind of hard to avoid in New York City, but what are your plans now?

VALAZQUEZ: I'm considering buying a car and driving into the city. It just -- I have a son, and I don't want him to be without a father, so I really got to consider this. It was scary.

WHITFIELD: Well, Ben Valazquez out of New York, thank you so much for joining us.

VALAZQUEZ: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: I'm so glad that you made it out safely and you're able to share your story with us.

VALAZQUEZ: Thank you, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Threatening the Gulf. As Dennis continues to move, what are other ways Florida residents are preparing? We'll go live to Pensacola, Florida, coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Let's get an update now on the track of Hurricane Dennis. Meteorologist Max Mayfield with the National Hurricane Center is with us now. Max, good to see you. Is Dennis doing what you expected? MAX MAYFIELD, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER: It is. The only little surprise here just in the last six hours has really started to deepen rapidly, to intensify rapidly. We've had airplanes out there flying Dennis most of the day, and the winds are indeed increasing. It's a strong category 2 hurricane, well on its way to becoming a category 3 hurricane; could possibly become a category 4 hurricane, which would make it even stronger than Ivan.

I think you can just see on the satellite picture behind me here, the last five hours or so, the eye has become much, much better defined. It really looks like the bottom is dropping out here. It's headed up in the same general area as where Ivan made landfall last year, unfortunately. But we really don't want people to focus in on that eye of the hurricane. This is a large circulation. It's really going to impact a large area. Hurricane warnings up from the northwest Florida coast all the way over to the Louisiana-Mississippi border.

WHITFIELD: So what is giving you the indication that it just might intensify when at least within the past hour, our weather maps have been showing and radars have been showing that the wind speeds have decreased down to 105 miles per hour?

MAYFIELD: Yeah, well, the wind speeds have really been coming up all through the day ever since the eye of the hurricane moved off the coast of Cuba really early this morning. We have both Air Force and NOAA hurricane-hunting planes flying in the hurricane, and they're measuring the pressure in the middle of the eye of that hurricane, and the pressure keeps going down. The winds haven't quite caught up to that decrease in pressure, but they will.

WHITFIELD: Oftentimes, the warm Gulf waters are certainly what makes the difference and helps fuel a storm like this. Is that your greatest worry over the next 18 to 24 hours?

MAYFIELD: There's no problem at all here with the warm waters in advance of Dennis here in the Gulf of Mexico. What really has us concerned here, the upper level outflow is very, very well defined, and that's another factor that we look at. We don't see any reason why this hurricane should not continue to strengthen. People in the hurricane warning area need to be preparing for a major hurricane.

WHITFIELD: Max Mayfield with the National Hurricane Center, thanks so much for joining us. Appreciate it.

MAYFIELD: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Well, here's a look now at the fury unleashed on Cuba. Cuban President Fidel Castro described Hurricane Dennis as "a diabolical force." Lucia Newman rode out the storm from Havana and filed this report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LUCIA NEWMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is where Hurricane Dennis said goodbye to the island of Cuba, existing shortly after midnight with winds of up to 105 miles, or 168 kilometers, an hour.

"It was very strong and incredibly noisy. It blew the shingles right off our roof," said Beatriz Gonzalez (ph) from Guanado (ph) Beach, on the outskirts of the capital.

Havana awoke to find power had not been reestablished. The downed trees and branches strewn all over the capital, a testament to the ferocity with which this storm flogged the Caribbean's largest island. In all, more than 1.4 million people were evacuated from low- lying areas and unsafe homes and buildings throughout Cuba, more than 16,000 of them foreign tourists, who had come here expecting to find sun and sand, and who instead got trapped in a hurricane that, for the month of July, is extremely rare.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was a little bit scary in the beginning, but it was good. No problems.

NEWMAN: Damage was worst in southeastern Cuba, where downed power and communication lines, as well as destruction to homes, was significant. Ten people were killed in eastern Cuba.

Earlier, Dennis took at least 22 lives in Haiti, while it was making its way towards Cuba. Massive mudslides and flooding again taking a tragic toll on that impoverished country, which still hasn't recovered from last year's hurricanes.

In Cuba, the job of trying to get back to normal is already under way.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And that was Lucia Newman, reporting from Havana.

Evacuations have been under way along Florida's Gulf Coast. Although Key West avoided a direct hit from Hurricane Dennis, power is out in many places, and there is some damage. As the storm churns in the Gulf, might the cities between Pensacola, Florida, and Mobile, Alabama, be next? CNN's John Zarrella is in Pensacola, where many residents are saying, oh, no, not again.

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, and I think that what that report you just had with Max Mayfield and the Hurricane Center is pretty ominous, and certainly not what folks here had hoped to hear. They were hoping that it would stay disorganized, not reform, but that does not appear the case.

And you know, Fredricka, we always hear about the calm before the storm. I don't know if there's anything really to it -- really anything to it or not, but let's show you and the viewers, it seems like every time I'm out in a hurricane, this is what I see before the storm comes ashore. Nothing is moving. The trees are dead still. They are calm. It is dead air here. It is hot, it is humid, but it is dead calm, the calm before the storm. Another one of those ominous signs.

In the distance behind me here, you can see the Interstate 10 bridge, the east-west artery that links Pensacola here to Mobile, Alabama, and that's the bridge that was washed out during Ivan last year. Temporary structure has been erected there. And it was overwashed last year, and, of course, if this is as powerful or perhaps even stronger than Ivan, certainly going to take a toll on that bridge again this time around.

Now, preparations have been under way. Folks here since last night, a lot of evacuations. You saw the bridge is pretty quiet right now. People have begun to move out, started last night. The shutters are being put up. Plywood is going up on walls. Gas station lines were absolutely packed today with everybody filling their gas tanks, filling plastic containers so that they could run those generators when need be.

And earlier today, Florida's Governor Jeb Bush, very somber Governor Jeb Bush, been through this four times last year, warned people here not to take any chances.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: In the Panhandle, it is important to heed the instructions of to evacuation. There still will be time to evacuate for this day. And if you're in a mandatory evacuation area, please do so.

For people, residents of Escambia County, Santa Rosa County particularly, you know the devastation of a category 3 or category 4 force storm. This is serious. This is a very dangerous storm. And we hope that you will evacuate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZARRELLA: Now, the need for people to pay attention to what the governor said certainly ratcheted up by the latest news coming out of the Hurricane Center of a deepening storm, strengthening storm.

Here in Escambia County, officials here, county officials want people who are evacuating to be out by midnight tonight. If you're going to the shelters, be in those shelters by midnight tonight, because conditions should start to go downhill fairly raptly here as we get into the overnight hours -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And, folks, don't wait until the last minute.

ZARRELLA: No.

WHITFIELD: All right, John Zarrella.

ZARRELLA: Don't wait.

WHITFIELD: That's right. All right, from Pensacola, Florida.

Well, the eye of the hurricane luckily missed the Florida Keys. But the tourist hot spot is not being spared from heavy winds and drenching rains still ongoing. Reporter Greg Hunter has been in the thick of it all day in Key West and he joins me now by phone. How does it look out there? GREG HUNTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, this is a storm that just won't quit. We had bands of rain last night. It really picked up heavy early morning throughout the afternoon, and it is still raining. Not raining as much, but it is still raining and blowing. And just seems like the storm will not quit.

And, again, this is a storm that missed the Florida Keys, basically, in terms of the eye and the heaviest part of it. We still had winds up to 74, 75 miles per hour. Lots of flooding in the street. Power outages for some 27,000 people in the lower Keys, and they're hoping to get power on tonight. It's flickered on and off where we're editing here in Key West and downtown Key West. But still no power, lots of rain, lots of trees down, things like that, but no real major damage and no deaths or injuries.

That's good news, but there's going to be some cleanup, and there's going to be some aftermath down here. I mean, it's -- Key West always bounces back, but it is going to -- it will take some cleanup.

WHITFIELD: So, Greg, it sounds like people have good reason to breathe a big sigh of relief. But, of course, the hard work is still just a few days away, and that would be really assessing any real damage, right?

HUNTER: Well, they do have damage, but you have to take the plywood off your house, you have to clean up, you know, tons of debris and stuff in the street. Earlier today, I was walking around in just about knee-deep water, and that was in downtown Key West. So, it sort of -- it's not -- it definitely shut down the tourism down here for today. We still have tourists out and the locals who are out, and we'll have a report on this later on on CNN.

WHITFIELD: All right, Greg Hunter, thanks so much out of Key West, where it is still raining, still a bit of rain as those outer bands of Dennis continue to hit the southern portion of Florida. We're keeping you updated on Hurricane Dennis all day here on CNN, so stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Hurricane Dennis is serious threat. Let's check in with Jacqui Jeras, see what it's doing now. Hey, Jacqui.

JERAS: It's gaining strength, Fredricka, and is expected to continue to get stronger, and in fact, back up to category 3 status before it makes landfall. That means winds of 111 to 130 miles per hour. It puts it in the major hurricane category when it makes landfall.

Right now, it's about 365 miles south-southeast of Pensacola, Florida. It's moving northwestern about 14 miles per hour.

It is going to take a little bit of a turn, a little farther on up to the north. There's still some uncertainty as it does this, so that's why there's still a little bit of a question mark exactly where it's going to be making landfall. Our best estimate at this time will likely be just to the west of Pensacola. But keep in mind, that can change. All of you that live within this cone need to be on high alert. You're all under a hurricane warning right now. You should be immediately finishing all your preparations, getting ready for Dennis. We are expecting it to make landfall sometime tomorrow afternoon.

Well, millions of people already feeling the effects of Dennis. You had been all day long across the Florida Keys and throughout much of the Florida peninsula. But take a look at this on the satellite picture. We're seeing high cloud tops, rain showers and thunderstorms all throughout parts of the Deep South.

We're going to zoom in and show you a couple of highlighted areas here, where the tornado watch remains in effect across much of east -- or western Florida, rather. Heavy thunderstorms just to the south and west of the Orlando area right now, and we also have an area of heavy showers and thunderstorms that extends just to the north of New Orleans and goes all the way on down just to the south of the Atlanta area. These are not severe thunderstorms at this time, but dumping some extremely heavy rainfall and a lot of lightning -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks so much, Jacqui.

Well, one of the Florida state agencies that is likely to be very busy over the next few days, especially depending on what Dennis does, is the Department of Health for Florida, and Dr. John Agwunobi is on the telephone with us now. Dr. Agwunobi, what are the most major health concerns you all are concerned about?

DR. JOHN AGWUNOBI, SECRETARY, FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH: Well, Fredricka, there are a number of issues that are prominent prior to the storm, things like injuries when people are boarding up their buildings and tying down their property.

But after the storm hits, there are some very common injuries and threats that we're very worried about. Carbon monoxide poisoning when people turn on their generators indoors, for example, is a very common one. And then of course, flooding, which all too often is quite dangerous. We ask people never to drive into flood water and, of course, always remember that standing water, flood water, is often contaminated with chemicals or other problems, bacteria and things like that.

WHITFIELD: Interesting. So, for those who choose not to evacuate, what are some other bits of advice you need to be giving to them to stay safe?

AGWUNOBI: Well, I think a critical piece of advice, given how strong this hurricane could be upon landfall, would be to please heed the advice of your local county emergency officers, especially if they ask you to evacuate.

But we're asking people in preparation to make sure that they have adequate supplies of drugs and prescription drugs and other supplies that they might need. Don't do the foolish thing that some people do, which is to try and go out and watch the storm and go out in the rain and in the wind. It can be very dangerous.

WHITFIELD: And, so, Dr. Agwunobi, what about resources and supplies? How are you all on your supplies and resources, given that it was just barely a year ago when you were really up to your ears in hurricanes?

AGWUNOBI: Well, some of us are calling this one hurricane number five, and we almost feel like we took a little while off and now we're right back in the trend of things.

But we're very fortunate. We've had great partnerships from the Department of Health and Human Services. They have been sending us some of their finest officers, the commissioned corps, the U.S. Public Health Service, and then officers from the Centers for Disease Control. FEMA has been wonderful in making sure that they're there to back us up should we need them.

But the truth of the matter is, this is a state that has an absolutely fantastic logistic system in place. I think we're going to have all the supplies ready to go, and if we run out, we'll have access to adequate reserves.

WHITFIELD: All right, Dr. John Agwunobi, of the Florida Department of Health, thank you so much, and best wishes to you all over the next few hours.

Hurricane Dennis, making its way to the Florida coastline. An update straight ahead.

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WHITFIELD: Dennis remains a category 2 hurricane this hour, and it's still on a path carrying it towards the Gulf Coast. Winds and rain have been lashing the Florida Keys in parts of south and central Florida. It's expected the already deadly storm could gain additional strength as it chugs toward the northwest. Forecasters say Dennis could hit anywhere from Mobile, Alabama, to Pensacola, Florida sometime tomorrow.

Officials in Washington, D.C. are keeping close tabs on Dennis. CNN's Kathleen Koch is standing by live at the headquarters of the Federal Emergency Management Agency -- Kathleen.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, the intensity of preparations here in Washington grows as Dennis approaches shore. Officials here at the headquarters of the Federal Emergency Management Agency are basically doing their best to look into a crystal ball and figure out just what supplies, what resources, will be need where and when.

There was a video conference at noon today with officials in the states that are in Hurricane Dennis' direct path. Everyone basically comparing notes, seeing just what is in position right now and what the states still might need. FEMA itself has already deployed, put into place, ice, water, food, plastic sheeting and more along the Gulf Coast. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL BROWN, DIRECTOR, FEMA: Right now, we have our rapid needs assessment teams in place. We have our emergency response teams in place. We've put some management teams in place for the medical systems and the urban search-and-rescue systems. They're all in place now, to give us an immediate situational awareness of what's going on, so we can send the full deployment of teams in place to help them.

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KOCH: Staffers here will be working around the clock, 12-hour shifts, over the next few days. Many are on standby to be deployed south if need be, and officials are confident that they are ready to respond to this hurricane, despite the enormous demands of the hurricane season of 2004. In fact, they say that they are actually in a better position to respond, because they already have personnel, supplies, equipment in place, still working on recovery efforts from last year --Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Kathleen Koch at FEMA headquarters, thanks so much, in D.C.

A three-hour drive south of New Orleans sits Grand Isle, Louisiana. It's a spit of land near the mouth of the Mississippi River, a place hurricanes like to haunt, or, at least, tease. CNN's Peter Viles paid a visit.

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PETER VILES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As the electricity was coming back -- Tropical Storm Cindy knocked it out Tuesday -- the mayor called for a voluntary evacuation, and folks in Grand Isle were asking an old question again: Will this storm be the one that washes this town away?

AMBROSE BESSON, GRAND ISLE RESIDENT: If this town, this Grand Isle washes away, a whole way of life is gone, gone forever.

VILES: Aside from brief stints in the Army, Ambrose Besson and his cousin, Bobby Santinni, have lived her all their lives.

BOBBY SANTINNI, GRAND ISLE RESIDENT: My roots are here. You've seen the movie "Roots?" Well, my roots are here.

VILES: Here is a quiet old Cajun fishing village, where the fish really are jumping and where Bayou Lafourche spills into the Gulf.

BESSON: Bayou Lafourche is in this area here.

VILES (on camera): OK.

(voice-over): It's the kind of place where you can see the mayor without an appointment, where men carry knives, because you never know when you'll need to shuck an oyster.

BESSON: Now, there's your live oyster, right out of the water, fresh out of the water.

VILES: It's a place where old men like to gossip.

BESSON: People put Peyton Place to shame on this island. They don't have nothing on us.

VILES: And like to hold on to memories of simpler days.

BESSON: We wasn't raised with electric lights. Kerosene lamps, candles. We used to -- when you wanted to eat, you go right back down the street from where we started, and I went in (INAUDIBLE) cast a net and catch a mollusk.

SANTINNI: When we were kids, somebody would -- a young couple would get married in the neighborhood, everybody would grab a hammer and a handful of nails and go build them a house, and then you'd have a house to sleep in that night.

VILES: Even today, old-timers will study the birds and the oak trees that their grandfathers planted for signs of a coming storm.

SANTINNI: If the tree's got acorns, there's no hurricane.

VILES (on camera): Right.

SANTINNI: If they ain't got no acorns, then we got hurricanes.

VILES: Well, what have you got on the trees right now?

SANTINNI: Leaves, no acorns.

VILES (voice-over): The defining moment in the town's history was Hurricane Betsy in 1965. With winds of more than 125 miles an hour, it blew away 90 percent of the town.

BESSON: Nobody can explain what Betsy was like, unless you were here.

VILES: The mayor was 7. His father's restaurant disappeared. It was later found 15 miles away.

DAVID CAMARDELLE, MAYOR OF GRAND ISLE: I remember asking my daddy when he was 37 years old with Betsy, and I was 7, and I looked up at him like, and I said, daddy, what are we going to do? He said, we're going to start all over.

VILES: The whole town started over, knowing someday a storm could wipe it off the map.

BESSON: Sooner or later, I don't know when, but this island will go back to sea.

VILES: These two aren't going anywhere yet. If forced to evacuate, they will, but they'll be back.

BESSON: I can live off this land. SANTINNI: Oh, yes.

BESSON: I don't need air conditioning, I don't need -- I can live here.

SANTINNI: As long as there's a grain of sand left, I will stay on Grand Isle.

VILES: So don't write off this little town just yet.

Peter Viles for CNN, Grand Isle, Louisiana.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And we're bringing you continuing coverage of Hurricane Dennis all day here on CNN. A live update on where the storm is headed at the top of the hour. Plus at 7:00 p.m. ...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: CNN's "ON THE STORY" with our correspondents taking you behind the scenes to the story behind the story. We'll be talking about the London terror attacks with Christiane Amanpour. Our reporters in London will open their notebooks and give their personal accounts of what happened. Joe Johns has the latest on the political drama surrounding the U.S. Supreme Court. Barbara Starr was on the story and under five from insurgents in Afghanistan. All coming up, all ON THE STORY.

WHITFIELD: And I'm Fredricka Whitfield. CNN LIVE SATURDAY will be right back.

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WHITFIELD: Hurricane Dennis now barreling north in the Gulf, heading toward the Florida Panhandle. The latest on its path straight ahead. And thousands evacuate, and thousands board up as Dennis moves in. It is deja vu all over again.

And where has Dennis gone, devastation has moved in. From Haiti, north to Key West, Dennis is leaving a footprint.

It is Saturday, July 9th, and you are watching CNN LIVE SATURDAY.

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