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Under Rubble in Algeria
Aired May 22, 2003 - 13:15 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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: In northern Africa, the worst earthquake in more than 20 years has claimed the lives of at least 800 people in Algiers.
And as CNN's David Compton reports, a frank -- frantic search, rather, is now under way for possible survivors.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID COMPTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Daylight in Algeria revealed the extent of devastation left behind from Wednesday night's powerful earthquake. The 6.7 magnitude quake hit Algiers and surrounding areas, turning many buildings and homes into rubble. Emergency crews are using everything from their bare hands to heavy machinery to search for survivors.
AHMED QUYAHIA, ALGERIAN PRIME MINISTER (through translator): What is worrying is that we still have a lot of people under the rubble. The EMS, the army and the population are right now working in an admiral way, but this is still far from over.
COMPTON: Algeria's president, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, ordered a quick response to the earthquake, calling in the army to join in the efforts. President Bouteflika also toured the damaged area and visited those injured in area hospitals.
Scores of people lined up in hospitals to offer their help, either to donate blood or to help search for those still trapped by collapsed buildings and debris.
PAUL DE BENDER, REUTERS JOURNALIST: Everybody's helping. They're trying to dig up, you know, bodies. We've got the authorities calling on people to go and donate blood. The Red Cross has urged all of the Algerians to go out and help, and there seems to be a lot of voluntary work going on at the moment. Otherwise, they would not be able to deal with such devastation.
COMPTON: An entire hospital crumbled in the city of Abu Mardas, a coastal city, where people jumped from windows as they tried to save themselves. Whole buildings collapsed there, and in the town of Rwaba, which also lies to the east of the Algiers.
The threat of aftershocks remains a major concern. People too frightened to return to their damaged homes, they sit in the streets waiting for the aftershocks to subside.
Telephone and electricity are out for many areas. Places where communication lines are working but only erratically are jammed by people trying to find out if family members are still alive.
David Compton, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired May 22, 2003 - 13:15 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: In northern Africa, the worst earthquake in more than 20 years has claimed the lives of at least 800 people in Algiers.
And as CNN's David Compton reports, a frank -- frantic search, rather, is now under way for possible survivors.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID COMPTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Daylight in Algeria revealed the extent of devastation left behind from Wednesday night's powerful earthquake. The 6.7 magnitude quake hit Algiers and surrounding areas, turning many buildings and homes into rubble. Emergency crews are using everything from their bare hands to heavy machinery to search for survivors.
AHMED QUYAHIA, ALGERIAN PRIME MINISTER (through translator): What is worrying is that we still have a lot of people under the rubble. The EMS, the army and the population are right now working in an admiral way, but this is still far from over.
COMPTON: Algeria's president, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, ordered a quick response to the earthquake, calling in the army to join in the efforts. President Bouteflika also toured the damaged area and visited those injured in area hospitals.
Scores of people lined up in hospitals to offer their help, either to donate blood or to help search for those still trapped by collapsed buildings and debris.
PAUL DE BENDER, REUTERS JOURNALIST: Everybody's helping. They're trying to dig up, you know, bodies. We've got the authorities calling on people to go and donate blood. The Red Cross has urged all of the Algerians to go out and help, and there seems to be a lot of voluntary work going on at the moment. Otherwise, they would not be able to deal with such devastation.
COMPTON: An entire hospital crumbled in the city of Abu Mardas, a coastal city, where people jumped from windows as they tried to save themselves. Whole buildings collapsed there, and in the town of Rwaba, which also lies to the east of the Algiers.
The threat of aftershocks remains a major concern. People too frightened to return to their damaged homes, they sit in the streets waiting for the aftershocks to subside.
Telephone and electricity are out for many areas. Places where communication lines are working but only erratically are jammed by people trying to find out if family members are still alive.
David Compton, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
