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CNN Live At Daybreak

America's New War: NY Rescue and Recovery Operation Update

Aired September 28, 2001 - 07:20   ET

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

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: At the site of the World Trade Center, U.S. marines pay tribute to members of the armed services killed in the attack. And searchers continue their around the clock effort to recover the victims.

CNN's Michael Okwu now joins us with the very latest from ground zero -- Michael.

MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Paula, good morning.

You know, I'm thinking it's 17 days and the nightmare continues, certainly in this part of lower Manhattan. As the rest of the city and certainly the country tries to return to some semblance of normalcy, things are anything but here. The streets are still cordoned off. They're protected by army reservists and of course by armed New York City Police Department officers.

And as you can see, the wreckage behind me, the still smoldering wreckage is testimony to the fact that life is not normal here and it will not be normal for quite some time.

Five thousand nine hundred and sixty people are missing and presumed dead. Three hundred and five are confirmed dead. Yesterday, six flags were raised on a roof across from the wreckage of the World Trade Center in tribute to the members of the armed services who were killed in the attack, of course, on September 11.

The U.S. Marine Corps had originally planned to honor only its own, but they decided late in the game to expand that ceremony. So therefore members of the New York City Police Department raised the flags of the United States, the marines, the navy, the army, the air force and, of course, the Coast Guard.

Paula, call this ground zero or call it the ruins or call it the crime scene of the most heinous crime committed on U.S. soil, as some people are calling it, but I think now it will forever be remembered as a resting place -- Paula.

ZAHN: Thanks so much, Michael. See you a little bit later on this morning.

There are some new procedures put in place to ease traffic tie- ups in New York. We don't know whether they're helping yet or not. But the Lincoln Tunnel has been added to the list of locations where traffic restrictions are in effect.

And CNN's Jason Carroll joins us with an update -- boy, Jason, I've never heard so much complaining from commuters before in my life. People are really upset about this aren't they?

CARROLL: They certainly are, Paula. A lot of people are frustrated about these new rules, but new rules that are definitely necessary. As you said, the Lincoln Tunnel has been added to the list for the new car pooling rules that are taking effect in the city. I want you to take a look behind me. I'm standing on the Jersey side of the Lincoln Tunnel. You can see all the traffic congestion here that's snarled to the entrance of the tunnel, the Lincoln Tunnel. This is the first day that the Lincoln Tunnel has been added to this list. The tunnel and four other major bridges on the east side of Manhattan, if you're planning on using any of those between 6:00 a.m. and noon you're going to have to carpool. Single occupancy vehicles are being turned away.

As you know, the mayor enacted these new rules to ease traffic congestion in the city. Lower Manhattan is tied up with all sorts of emergency vehicles.

This morning, Paula, I had an opportunity to speak to a representative from the Port Authority. He told me that here at the Lincoln Tunnel, people coming through here are actually going to be checked twice, once to see if they're traveling by themselves, and again, if that's the case, they're going to be turned around. And then they have to go through a security checkpoint to see if they may be carrying any hazardous materials and if that's the case they'll be turned away as well.

Again, we're looking at lengthy delays here. I had an opportunity to speak to one trucker out here just a few minutes ago. He told me he had to wait nearly an hour just to get to this point, and he hasn't even gone through the security checkpoint yet.

Again, we're looking at lengthy delays, but delays that are necessary for the safety of the city -- Paula.

ZAHN: Jason, has anybody in the city told commuters how long this might last?

CARROLL: I remember the mayor saying a little earlier this week that he was going to enact these new rules, see how it goes and take it from there. So it's just really anyone's guess. It could last a week, it could last two weeks. Who knows? I guess the mayor says he just wants to see how this whole thing plays out -- Paula.

ZAHN: Well, it be interesting to see what kind of fallout there will be. I was talking to a man earlier this morning that says it normally took him a half an hour to get into the city. He's budgeting now two hours.

CARROLL: No doubt.

ZAHN: Two hours each way. CARROLL: Lengthy delays just about everywhere you look, some people saying two hours. I've even heard three hours in some cases, depending upon where you're coming from. But -- so we're going to have to see how long this lasts. As you know, New Yorkers sometimes get a reputation as not being very patient. We're going to have to see how patient they're going to be this go around.

ZAHN: Sometimes get a reputation? I think it's overall pretty consistent there, Jason.

You'll keep us posted on how attitudes prevail later on today.

CARROLL: OK. All right.

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