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Cleaning Up After Tornado; A Long Road Ahead for Downtown Jackson, Tennessee

Aired May 05, 2003 - 15:30   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.


(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I express my sincerest condolences to the victims of the tornadoes that ripped through Arkansas and Kansas and Missouri, Tennessee, Nebraska and South Dakota. Our prayers and I hope your prayers are with those who -- the loved ones who lost life or those who lost their home. The federal government, the local -- state and local authorities need to know the federal government will be moving as quickly as we possibly can to provide help where help is needed and where help is justified.

Nature is awfully tough at times. And the best thing we can do right now is to pray for those who have suffered.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Sympathy, prayers and a promise from the president that the federal government will provide whatever helps is needed as quickly as possible. For some communities, that could mean rebuilding entire neighborhoods, if not the whole town. There is so much destruction, some folks say they don't even know where to begin.

And the danger's not even over yet. Some areas, including Atlanta, are still under a tornado watch. So far, authorities say at least 40 people have been killed by the merciless string of twisters. One of the hardest hit areas, Gladstone, Missouri. That's where we find our Ed Lavendera -- hello, Ed.

ED LAVANDERA, CNN DALLAS BUREAU CHIEF: Hi, Miles. Well the residents of this neighborhood in Gladstone, Missouri have decided the best place for them to begin cleaning up is just by picking up all the debris that has been left behind here in between the homes and on the streets and many of the rooftops here, several hundred homes in this subdivision, where 23 people were injured when the tornado roared through this portion of Kansas City, Missouri.

We're told that this subdivision is one of the hardest hit places in this metropolitan area. And many of the residents we've had a chance to speak with here throughout the day say they've just been having -- getting the opportunity to go inside their homes, clean up and salvage whatever belongings they possibly can. Many of these homes -- if you notice, on some of these homes, they've been marked with an "x" or they have a white sign in front of them. Basically, that says that no one is allowed inside these homes unless they're accompanied by a firefighter. A lot of these homes seem to be moving a little bit, and it's not exactly clear just how much -- how long some of these homes will remain standing. We've heard a lot of creaking in the woods from the rooftops over here.

Many of the residents, as I've mentioned, going through and picking what they can. They've had emergency crews on the ground picking up debris. And many of the trees have been snapped in half here.

Many of the residents here have kind of gone -- undergone an emotional swing here. When many people emerged from their basements last night after the storm hit, they said they were feeling very optimistic, considering only 23 people were injured, given how many people have died because of these storms. But they felt pretty comfortable with what has happened. But I think, as what's going on today, as they sense just how much damage has undergone to their homes here, that they're starting to get a deeper sense of sadness as they clean up what's been left behind -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: CNN's Ed Lavendera in Gladstone, Missouri, thank you very much.

In many communities, rescuers are still combing through twisted wreckage and crumbled buildings hoping they do not find anymore victims. Such is the case in Jackson, Tennessee, where one tornado slashed right through the center of town. Allyson Finch, with our Memphis affiliate, WHBQ, is there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALLYSON FINCH, WHBQ: A press conference with EMA director Dan Vaughn (ph) just wrapped up. Here's what we know right now. There are 11 confirmed fatalities and 28,000 people without power in Madison County.

Take a look at the damage here in downtown Jackson. You can see this. This was a telephone pole. Now, just shards like match sticks sticking up from the ground.

Everything behind us, here's that telephone pole, along with limbs of debris and downed power lines and things like that. Here's a piece of a roof over here behind us, and aluminum siding that's just crumpled up like pieces of foil on the street. Back here, you can see that businesses are starting to patch up windows and secure things for the night here in downtown Jackson.

One of the biggest concerns that police have is with looters. Many looters are starting to take a good opportunity and break into some things. And police are trying to put a stop to that today and into the night.

Now there was a curfew on people in Jackson until 7:00 a.m. this morning. That curfew has been lifted. And what we're starting to see is many people walking through downtown with their families, with cameras, just touring the damage. Now the EMA director tells us that, as the day goes on, they're going to discuss the possibility of a curfew going into the night.

Also, one other thing we need to let you know. Shelby County, Memphis is sending up cadaver-sniffing dogs, as well as some EMS personnel to help. Every available firefighter in Jackson has been going around from business to business and home to home putting X's on doors, assessing damage, so that they don't duplicate any of their efforts around town.

One other thing we need to let you know, and that's all Jackson residents have been asked to boil their water for 24 hours. And that's just to make sure that as the tornadoes came through and contaminants got into the water that the residents are making sure to boil it and get rid of those contaminants.

So a long road ahead for downtown Jackson that has been leveled in the two tornadoes that touched down last night. And it looks like another storm front is getting ready to move through. So it will be a long night for EMA personnel and a long night for residents to begin to assess the damage and rebuild.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: Once again, that from Allyson Finch of WHBQ. We thank her and them for that.

This rare outbreak of tornadoes was reported from South Dakota to the Southeast. As many as 83 or 84 twisters sighted overnight. Dozens of cities bearing ugly scars today. A look at what some of the survivors went through now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my god.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can you hear it?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We've got to get out of here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Look at that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This thing is strengthening too.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're going to have a white tornado pretty soon.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you see it coming?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, yes. Looked out and saw it coming straight offer the top of this thing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my god. (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What am I going to do?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh god.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, what am I going to do?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You'll be all right.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Half the homes in that neighborhood have been destroyed. There's nothing left of them except debris.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get ready for one of the most incredible things you've ever seen.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, you had some funnel clouds over here and then they backed south and landed right over there and started coming through. And my nephew and I were on the back deck, and I said that's going to hit us.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, even part of the foundation is gone. It just completely flat. So there was nothing left of it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's just been totally devastated, which is approximately 26 miles. It's just been wiped out, if you want to use that word.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




Jackson, Tennessee>


Aired May 5, 2003 - 15:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I express my sincerest condolences to the victims of the tornadoes that ripped through Arkansas and Kansas and Missouri, Tennessee, Nebraska and South Dakota. Our prayers and I hope your prayers are with those who -- the loved ones who lost life or those who lost their home. The federal government, the local -- state and local authorities need to know the federal government will be moving as quickly as we possibly can to provide help where help is needed and where help is justified.

Nature is awfully tough at times. And the best thing we can do right now is to pray for those who have suffered.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Sympathy, prayers and a promise from the president that the federal government will provide whatever helps is needed as quickly as possible. For some communities, that could mean rebuilding entire neighborhoods, if not the whole town. There is so much destruction, some folks say they don't even know where to begin.

And the danger's not even over yet. Some areas, including Atlanta, are still under a tornado watch. So far, authorities say at least 40 people have been killed by the merciless string of twisters. One of the hardest hit areas, Gladstone, Missouri. That's where we find our Ed Lavendera -- hello, Ed.

ED LAVANDERA, CNN DALLAS BUREAU CHIEF: Hi, Miles. Well the residents of this neighborhood in Gladstone, Missouri have decided the best place for them to begin cleaning up is just by picking up all the debris that has been left behind here in between the homes and on the streets and many of the rooftops here, several hundred homes in this subdivision, where 23 people were injured when the tornado roared through this portion of Kansas City, Missouri.

We're told that this subdivision is one of the hardest hit places in this metropolitan area. And many of the residents we've had a chance to speak with here throughout the day say they've just been having -- getting the opportunity to go inside their homes, clean up and salvage whatever belongings they possibly can. Many of these homes -- if you notice, on some of these homes, they've been marked with an "x" or they have a white sign in front of them. Basically, that says that no one is allowed inside these homes unless they're accompanied by a firefighter. A lot of these homes seem to be moving a little bit, and it's not exactly clear just how much -- how long some of these homes will remain standing. We've heard a lot of creaking in the woods from the rooftops over here.

Many of the residents, as I've mentioned, going through and picking what they can. They've had emergency crews on the ground picking up debris. And many of the trees have been snapped in half here.

Many of the residents here have kind of gone -- undergone an emotional swing here. When many people emerged from their basements last night after the storm hit, they said they were feeling very optimistic, considering only 23 people were injured, given how many people have died because of these storms. But they felt pretty comfortable with what has happened. But I think, as what's going on today, as they sense just how much damage has undergone to their homes here, that they're starting to get a deeper sense of sadness as they clean up what's been left behind -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: CNN's Ed Lavendera in Gladstone, Missouri, thank you very much.

In many communities, rescuers are still combing through twisted wreckage and crumbled buildings hoping they do not find anymore victims. Such is the case in Jackson, Tennessee, where one tornado slashed right through the center of town. Allyson Finch, with our Memphis affiliate, WHBQ, is there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALLYSON FINCH, WHBQ: A press conference with EMA director Dan Vaughn (ph) just wrapped up. Here's what we know right now. There are 11 confirmed fatalities and 28,000 people without power in Madison County.

Take a look at the damage here in downtown Jackson. You can see this. This was a telephone pole. Now, just shards like match sticks sticking up from the ground.

Everything behind us, here's that telephone pole, along with limbs of debris and downed power lines and things like that. Here's a piece of a roof over here behind us, and aluminum siding that's just crumpled up like pieces of foil on the street. Back here, you can see that businesses are starting to patch up windows and secure things for the night here in downtown Jackson.

One of the biggest concerns that police have is with looters. Many looters are starting to take a good opportunity and break into some things. And police are trying to put a stop to that today and into the night.

Now there was a curfew on people in Jackson until 7:00 a.m. this morning. That curfew has been lifted. And what we're starting to see is many people walking through downtown with their families, with cameras, just touring the damage. Now the EMA director tells us that, as the day goes on, they're going to discuss the possibility of a curfew going into the night.

Also, one other thing we need to let you know. Shelby County, Memphis is sending up cadaver-sniffing dogs, as well as some EMS personnel to help. Every available firefighter in Jackson has been going around from business to business and home to home putting X's on doors, assessing damage, so that they don't duplicate any of their efforts around town.

One other thing we need to let you know, and that's all Jackson residents have been asked to boil their water for 24 hours. And that's just to make sure that as the tornadoes came through and contaminants got into the water that the residents are making sure to boil it and get rid of those contaminants.

So a long road ahead for downtown Jackson that has been leveled in the two tornadoes that touched down last night. And it looks like another storm front is getting ready to move through. So it will be a long night for EMA personnel and a long night for residents to begin to assess the damage and rebuild.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: Once again, that from Allyson Finch of WHBQ. We thank her and them for that.

This rare outbreak of tornadoes was reported from South Dakota to the Southeast. As many as 83 or 84 twisters sighted overnight. Dozens of cities bearing ugly scars today. A look at what some of the survivors went through now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my god.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can you hear it?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We've got to get out of here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Look at that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This thing is strengthening too.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're going to have a white tornado pretty soon.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you see it coming?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, yes. Looked out and saw it coming straight offer the top of this thing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my god. (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What am I going to do?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh god.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, what am I going to do?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You'll be all right.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Half the homes in that neighborhood have been destroyed. There's nothing left of them except debris.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get ready for one of the most incredible things you've ever seen.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, you had some funnel clouds over here and then they backed south and landed right over there and started coming through. And my nephew and I were on the back deck, and I said that's going to hit us.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, even part of the foundation is gone. It just completely flat. So there was nothing left of it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's just been totally devastated, which is approximately 26 miles. It's just been wiped out, if you want to use that word.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




Jackson, Tennessee>