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Winter Fills Dried Out Lake in California; Migrant Trail to America; "Phantom of the Opera" Ends on Broadway. Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired April 14, 2023 - 08:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:30:17]

POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: This morning, Governor Ron DeSantis has made Florida one of the most restrictive states in the nation for abortion. He signed a law yesterday banning most abortions after six weeks. There are exceptions for victims of rape, incest and human trafficking until 15 weeks of pregnancy. This also prohibits doctors from prescribing abortions by telehealth and getting an abortion pill in the mail.

Abortion rights are shaping up to be one of the huge campaign issues heading into next year's presidential election. DeSantis still has not announced officially a bid.

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: So, nature has resurrected what was once dried out Lake Tulare, or Tulare Lake in California. This winter's historic atmospheric rivers and several feet of snow have brought with it snowmelt, turning the dry lakebed back into an inland ocean, right? It's great, except for the farmers who have been working the land for generations.

CNN's Bill Weir live for us on the banks of Tulare Lake.

OK, Bill, this is the opposite kind of what we have been talking about, you know, rivers and lakes drying up. This is the opposite. So, this is good for the lake, but bad for agriculture?

BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's bad in general for everybody. It is a natural disaster -- unnatural disaster, really, that's happening right now. Imagine a flooded area 20 ft long by - or 20 miles long by eight feet -- miles wide, that is going to get three times bigger by spring. This is this ghost phantom lake that is back from the dead now and making life a headache in the central valley of California.

Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WEIR (voice over): In California's central valley farmers have spent much of the last 20 years praying for rain. But then came this winter of relentless rivers in the sky. Enough to bring a long dead lake back to life and drown over 150 square miles of farmland and counting. So now, they pray for the water to stop.

WEIR (on camera): It is mind blowing to realize that if you'd stood here for the last couple of generations, you'd be watching the sunset over dusty fields of cotton or alfalfa or pistachio trees. And now it is waterfront property. I had no idea Tulare Lake was once the biggest freshwater body west of the Mississippi, but it was damned and diked and drained to build a $2 billion agriculture industry. And now it's back. It's proof that water never forgets. And this may just be the beginning because behind those clouds over there, the Sierra Nevada's are so packed with snow, 260 percent above normal, and sooner or later that's going to melt, which is only going to make this flooding worse and last longer.

WEIR (voice over): The last time it flooded this dramatically here was 1983, and it took two years to dry out.

WEIR (on camera): You were telling me about the effects in '83?

SIDONIO PALMERIN, COUNCIL MEMBER, CITY OF CORCORAN: Yes.

WEIR: The town hollowed out pretty much.

PALMERIN: Yes. I was on the school board at that time, in 1983, and we lost half our school population, about one-third of our city population. And a lot of the people that were field workers lost their homes, their cars.

WEIR (voice over): And this time, in addition to the dripping time bomb in the mountains, Corcoran is many feet lower in elevation after years of over pumping groundwater to grow thirstier crops made this one of the fastest sinking areas in the nation.

DANIEL L. SWAIN, CLIMATE SCIENTIST, UCLA: So, the ground has literally sunk in some places by 10 or 15 feet over the past decade. That has literally changed the topography of the historical lakebed. Some places are lower even than they were the last time there was a big flood event. So, there's quite a few unknowns.

WEIR: That is UCLA scientist Daniel Swain. And summer he published a paper that found whether whiplash will become only more extreme on an overheating planet. And worse case, Tulare Lake could grow into a vast inland sea.

SWAIN: That as disruptive and as damaging as this year's flooding has been, it's still nowhere near close to what we foresee as the plausible worst case scenario.

DAVE ROBINSON, KINGS COUNTY SHERIFF: The levy that we're standing on is called the Corcoran Levy. It's a 14.5 mile levee that protects the city of Corcoran, the two state prisons, the residents here. There's about 22,000 residents and about 8,000 inmates. And so the work behind us that you'll see over here, with the tractor work in the distance, they're actually building the levee up another four to five feet. And God-willing, that will protect the city of Corcoran.

WEIR (on camera): There's a race against the melt basically happening, right?

ROBINSON: That's exactly right. So, we've been fortunate with a very slow, mild spring so far, but we know the heat's coming.

[08:35:04]

MARTINA SEALY, CORCORAN RESIDENT: All of the crops are completely flooded and ruined. So, that's -- it takes a lot of jobs from people. That's a lot of food that provide -- we provide for up and down California and all around the nation. It's pretty scary.

WEIR: And, unfortunately, this is just the beginning, right, because -

SEALY: Very beginning.

WEIR: The big melt hasn't even really begun.

SEALY: Yes. This is just from the rain. The snow melts, there's nowhere for it to go besides here and -

WEIR: So Tulare Lake is back for a while?

SEALY: Yes, it's back and it may take over and put us out.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WEIR: Talked to some folks who are thinking about moving. Talk to some other folks who are scrambling to buy flood insurance in a place where that would have seemed laughable for most of the last couple decades. There's some real worry in this town. They're talking about evacuation plans with school busses for the elderly. Of course, the prisoners at Corcoran. They say the prison system is starting to limit the amount of new prisoners in case they have to move those 8,000 inmates at some point. But just this morning, the Sierra Nevada snowpack, the officials in charge of it says, our snowmelt this season will be like an ultra marathon and we are getting started on the very first mile.

Don. Poppy.

HARLOW: Wow.

LEMON: Wow. Crazy.

HARLOW: I almost can't believe those images, but they're real and they're happening right now and about to get worse.

LEMON: Was a field, now a lake. Crazy.

HARLOW: Yes. The impact on those families.

Bill, thanks very, very much.

WEIR: Yes.

HARLOW: Thousands of migrants heading north to the United States, making the long trek along the dense and dangerous Darien Gap. Our Nick Paton Walsh and his team traveled with them on that journey. It's extraordinary. You'll see it, next.

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[08:40:40]

HARLOW: A new report from UNICEF says nearly 10,000 migrant children and teens have attempted to cross the Darien Gap toward North America in the first two months of this year. That is a seven-fold increase from last year. The Darien Gap is the migrant trail that spans from South America to Central America. And our Nick Paton Walsh and his team recently hiked the entire thing alongside thousands of migrants who traveled on foot carrying all their possessions as they navigate through dense jungle, rushing waters, and steep mountainsides. This team did this walk over five days, and the stories they found are just extraordinary.

Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Literally meters from Colombia, the ground turns.

WALSH (on camera): People, as they walk just discarding their shoes. Their real sense of the atmosphere changing now, we crossed the border into Panama. People clumping together, perhaps fearing for their own safety. And this mud is just impossible to go and get your feet out of it.

WALSH (voice over): This man, who didn't want to be named, now with nothing on his feet but his resolve. Pause and imagine where you've come from if you're willing to do this, barefoot, with a woolen sweater and plastic bags. Pierce your feet or break an ankle and this mud may be your grave.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): Don't' take me through the high parts. Go help me. Give me patience.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Nick Paton Walsh will bring you that entire report, which, as you can see, is just phenomenal, terrifying, all of it. It's called "The Trek: A Migrant trail to America," and the first episode in a new CNN series "The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper." That airs Sunday.

So, let's bring in CNN's chief international security correspondent Nick Paton Walsh.

Nick, I had heard about this, you know, for the last few months, but just to see it in real time, what you did. Tell me why you wanted to do it.

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: I think partly because of the exponential rise in the number of people undertaking this incredibly perilous journey, and also because you can see there just part of some of the dangers. Add to that snakes, dehydration, lack of food, criminals, sexual assault, murder, it seems all part of the things people endure to get from the south of the Americas to its north and ultimately to the American/Mexican border. And you have to just remember how utterly awful the places they must be coming from are that they consider these perils to be comparatively worth enduring. I think that's really what sticks with you.

LEMON: Yes. What is the motivation and what motivates them to take such a dangerous journey?

WALSH: Yes, I mean, it's places like Haiti. That's the largest number of migrants from their. Venezuela too. Haiti, years now of queues for gas, hard to get food, government collapse. We've been there ourselves. Very hard for daily life. Venezuela similarly hit by sanctions, massive government mismanagement as well over, what, over a decade now. So, the reasons why they're fleeing, quite easy to understand, frankly. And the strength they show just pushing on through this days long trek, quite extraordinary grit.

HARLOW: Nick, you talked about crime. And what I find really fascinating that people will see on Sunday night is that you met and you actually filmed with some of the people involved in the smuggling operation.

WALSH: Yes, I mean this is a large, organized efforts run by a cartel on the Colombian/Panamanian border. They're Colombian themselves, but they're very organized. They charge money for each person. It seems to vary according to your nationality or how you got there. It's unclear quite how each different nationality fits into the broader smuggling machine.

[08:45:00]

For example, the large number of Chinese now coming there seem to pay a lot more, obviously, because they have an awful lot further to travel.

But the cartel are very clear. I want you to see how organized this all is. They play religious songs at the start before people leave. They even stopped on a couple of mornings the trekkers from moving until a missing wallet had been returned. It's about trying to show that they're in control because I think that essentially encourages more people to come along.

As soon as you cross the border into Panama, though, they're very much on their own.

HARLOW: Nick Paton Walsh, thank you to you and your whole team. I think it's going to be eye-opening for everyone who gets to see it. Again, this is the beginning of CNN's new series "The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper." It is this Sunday night.

So -

LEMON: Up next -

HARLOW: Harry. LEMON: Harry Enten is here with this morning's number.

Harry, what are you - are you going to run across the studio with us this morning?

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[08:50:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): The phantom of the opera is there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Ah, the iconic sound of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Phantom of the Opera." The hit musical ending its historic run on Broadway. That's happening this Sunday. And a fun fact, you want a fun fact?

HARLOW: What?

LEMON: When the show first started in 1988, you weren't even born yet.

HARLOW: I was six, but thank you.

LEMON: I was in college.

The most expensive ticket costs $50. Today, that is well north of $200.

HARLOW: Yes.

LEMON: That's according to Billboard.

So, we have our very own phantom of the data -

HARLOW: Good one.

LEMON: Harry Enten here with this morning's number.

HARRY ENTEN, CNN SENIOR DATA REPORTER: That was what I was trying to do earlier was that -

HARLOW: With the paper. I got it.

LEMON: I thought you were doing Carnac from Johnny Carson.

HARLOW: Carson.

ENTEN: I love Johnny Carson probably more than I like Broadway.

Anyway, this morning's number is 35 years, because that's how long "The Phantom of the Opera" ran on Broadway.

HARLOW: Wow. ENTEN: It's the longest running show. It closes this Sunday. So ,I figured I'd do a little tribute to "Phantom of the Opera." And you know what? Look at this. Broadway's most seen in the last 40 years, "Phantom of the Opera" comes in at number one, look at that, over 20 million tickets sold. "Lion King" or "The Lion King," one of my favorites, just a little bit south of 17 million. "Wicked," which I did not realize was so popular, which shows how little I actually know about Broadway, comes in at number three at a little bit more than 13 million.

But it's not just about the audience coming out to see the show, right? I think what's awesome -

LEMON: (INAUDIBLE) "Cats" is not on there.

ENTEN: "Cats." "Cats" is -

HARLOW: I'm surprised about that too.

LEMON: And what was the other one we were talking about.

ENTEN: "Les Mis"

HARLOW: Mr. -

LEMON: "Les Mis" not on there.

ENTEN: No. I looked it up. They're - these three are by far - and they're also by far the three that generated the most profit, although in that particular case it's actually "The Lion King" and "Wicked" in that order, one and two, and then Phantom of the Opera," three.

But, in terms of jobs, this to me is fascinating. "Phantom" created a record number of jobs for Broadway. But look at this, total number of jobs created in New York, looked at that, 6,500. And acting jobs, 400. So, it's not just about audience enjoyment, it's also about the fact that it was really something for New York that sort of brought the people out.

HARLOW: Love that.

LEMON: That was very New York the way you said that, audience enjoyment.

ENTEN: Audience enjoyment. Audience enjoy.

One - a few other little things I point out, just Broadway attendance generally speaking.

We're coming back from our post Covid lows, right? We're up to nearly 11 million now. We're not quite there yet where we were pre-Covid, but were clearly coming back.

But I do have a question for you two guys, which is, what should I see, because my friend wants to take me to Broadway. I haven't been since 2015. So, guys, what should - HARLOW: Did you see "Lion King"? It's -

ENTEN: I haven't.

HARLOW: It's except -- it's extraordinary, not just for kids. So, I would say "Lion King."

ENTEN: Don?

LEMON: I don't know. The last thing I saw was "Take Me Out," and I don't think it's even playing anymore.

HARLOW: You saw "Hamilton," right?

ENTEN: No, I didn't see "Hamilton."

HARLOW: Oh, well, "Hamilton."

LEMON: "Hamilton" is good.

ENTEN: OK.

LEMON: Yes, go see "Hamilton."

HARLOW: Go - it's "Hamilton."

LEMON: But you're - are you a fan of musicals?

ENTEN: Not really. No.

LEMON: OK, well, then, maybe you shouldn't see "Hamilton."

HARLOW: Yes, you have to see "Hamilton." It's amazing. What else?

LEMON: What just opened?

HARLOW: Oh, "Funny Girl."

LEMON: "White Girl in Danger." Go see that.

ENTEN: OK.

LEMON: Yes.

ENTEN: See, you guys, bringing me the useful (INAUDIBLE).

HARLOW: It's too expensive. It's so expensive to go to Broadway now.

ENTEN: I know. I - but, don't worry, my friend's going to treat me.

HARLOW: OK. OK, great.

ENTEN: There we go.

HARLOW: Harry's friend, I hope you're listening.

LEMON: Thank you, Harry.

ENTEN: Ohhh.

HARLOW: Hard turn here.

LEMON: That's what happens in music. Yes.

HARLOW: To the streets of Paris.

LEMON: Oh, the streets of Paris, yes, protests, right?

HARLOW: Right. Take a look. These are protests right now. In just a couple of hours, the supreme court in France will rule on whether to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64. We'll take you to Paris live.

LEMON: They are singing (ph).

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[08:57:53]

LEMON: The state of California has the highest rate of homelessness in the country. This week's CNN hero has made it his mission to offer free veterinarian care to pets on the streets of California. Meet Dr. Kwane Stewart.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. KWANE STEWART, CNN HERO: I've seen people give up their last meal for their pet and people who have $3 to their name, and after I'm done with the treatment, they will try and give me that $3.

This is your partner, obviously, huh?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's my best friend.

STEWART: They see me with my stethoscope and my bag.

Oh, yes, you look good.

This little dog was days away from dying.

And then they start sharing stories about their dog and the history.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He makes me feel good. And he loves me. And I know he loves me.

STEWART: I can treat about 80 percent of the cases I see out of a really small bag.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, you do vaccines too. Oh, that's really cool.

STEWART: It's antibiotics. It's anti-inflammatories. Flea and tick. Heartworm prevention. It's all there. It's at no cost to them. It's free.

I'm building a network of trusted volunteers, technicians, but hospitals and clinics we can go to, we can call on.

Let me take a listen here.

It doesn't matter what your situation is or what your background or past is. I see a pet in need, and I see a person who cares for them dearly who just needs some help.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: You can see more of D. Stewart's story at cnnheroes.com. And you know how I feel about animals.

HARLOW: You just showed me your three children. That's what I call them, your children, your three -- three pups.

LEMON: My babies.

HARLOW: Before we go, we do want to show you the streets of Paris. Here's how they look right now. Francis; constitutional council is under unprecedented levels of scrutiny ahead of the ruling on President Emmanuel Macron's unpopular pension reform bill that would raise the retirement age from 62 to 64. The ruling is set to come after French police say more than in 300,000 protesters took to the streets of Paris yesterday. Demonstrators broke into the headquarters of a French luxury retailer, set off firecrackers. Others lit flares and faced off with a large group of police outside the court.

[09:00:03]

The demonstrations, largely peaceful, though dozens of injuries were reported among police and protesters. We'll watch. That's going to be a huge ruling in just a few hours.

LEMON: Sixty-two to 64.

HARLOW: Yes.

LEMON: We're so glad you could join us this week, and we're very happy that it is Friday, and I'm sure you are too.

HARLOW: Have a great weekend.

LEMON: So, have a great weekend.

CNN NEWS CENTRAL starts right now.