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Pentagon Preps for Rita; Florida Keys Preparing Also; Parts of New Orleans Opened to Returnees

Aired September 19, 2005 - 14:00   ET

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

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR, CNN LIVE FROM: Rita revs up. Evacuations and hurricane warnings in Florida. We will have new information just released about the storm's position.
And returning home, residents trickle in after the mayor of New Orleans opens up parts of the city. But is the city ready? From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Betty Nguyen. Kyra Phillips is on assignment in New Orleans as we just saw. She will join us in a few moments. This hour of CNN's LIVE FROM... starts right now.

Ok, if tropical storm and probable hurricane Rita were to come around ten years from now it would still be too soon. As it is Rita raises bone-chilling parallels with the storm that pounded south Florida, re-emerged in the gulf. Grew much, much stronger and you know the rest. Meteorologist bonnie Schneider is eyeing Rita's progress and prospects in our weather center upstairs.

(WEATHER REPORT)

NGUYEN: Let's talk about the keys now before the storm. It's a far cry from calm. More like a concerted effort to board up tie down and clear out. CNN's John Zarrella is in Key West. Sounds like people there aren't taking chances, John.

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Betty, that's exactly right. You hit the nail on the head there. Boarding up is the order of business now. Right off to my left you can see all up and down Duvall Street there it's really quiet here. This is the heart of Key West. Usually packed with tourists on a sunny, bright afternoon, but very few people out there today.

Just police officers on bicycles and workmen boarding up just about every business along Duvall Street now. This is all changed dramatically overnight. Yesterday this was barely a tropical storm in the afternoon. And that all changed today. Now concerns and expectations that Rita could be a category 2 hurricane when it makes it to the Florida Keys sometime late tomorrow afternoon or early evening.

A it could come right over Key West or the lower Florida Keys. With all that in mind, today a mandatory evacuation was extended. At first it was just tourists and nonresidents and people in low-lying areas and mobile homes who were told to evacuate. Now, that is everyone. Every resident in the Florida Keys is being urged to evacuate to the mainland. There had been shelters that were going to be open in the Florida Keys. That's not the case now. They will have to go to the mainland to Florida International University up in the homestead area and in the South Dade area to find evacuation shelters. There are 80,000 people in Monroe County, 25,000 roughly in Key West.

Of course, the schools are all going to be closed here. And the hurricane warning that exists now includes all of Miami Dade County as well. Because of the potential for Rita to strengthen and potentially strengthen dramatically as it reaches those nearly 90-degree waters over the Florida state -- Florida straits. Betty?

NGUYEN: John Zarrella in Key West, thank you for that update. Of course, we'll be checking in with you, as well.

We have heard everything from welcome back to not so fast. A zigzag of opinion as zip code 70114, the Algiers section of New Orleans officially re-opens complete with a ceremonial ribbon cutting as you see there.

Algiers was spared most of the misery inflicted on the other side of the Mississippi. And joining us with news from both sides is LIVE FROM's own Kyra Phillips. High atop New Orleans. Hi, Kyra.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Betty. As you can imagine it's been so tough for the players in New Orleans. You have the mayor Ray Nagin saying he wants people back in here. He wants them in their homes. He wants businesses to open up because of the economics -- the economic factor. And he wants the city to thrive again. And he wants things to get up and running.

But then you've got admiral Thad Allen, U.S. Coast Guard, who, of course, is in charge of operations here and logistics. And he's saying, sir, I respect what you're saying, we have to work together. But at the same time there are serious health threats.

There is the issue of 911 calls. There is the issue of hospital care. And there's just the plain issue of is it safe to breathe the air and be inside a home that has been flooded or had feet, you know, a number of inches of water, whether it's been low levels or high levels. There's toxic mold issues.

He's been, of course, talking to a lot of people in the press today about those questions and about that relationship between his people and also the mayor of New Orleans. He says they're talking on a regular basis and this is what he told us earlier this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

THAD ALLEN, HEAD OF FEDERAL RELIEF OPS.: There's no trumping here. The mayor is in charge. It's his city in conjunction with the state leaders. This is a local issue. The reason the federal government is here is in these events there are requirements for capacity, competency and capability that overtake local state governments. And that's the reason we're here. Actually I represent the collective federal input in an attempt to support the mayor and his plan. In this case I'm trying to advise him and pass information to him and also the citizens of New Orleans regarding the concerns we have.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: And I can tell you after spending so much time with the admiral he is in constant communication with the mayor, whether it be by cell phone or meeting face to face. I know that he's going to be having another meeting with the mayor today and they will be discussing all these issues.

But Admiral Allen doesn't want to take any risks. He's the man in charge. And he knows those health threats firsthand. So the constant communication is in full force right now.

Meanwhile, as you know, in Algiers, people are coming home. They have the same concerns, too, but it is in a much better position that area right now than New Orleans. And that's where we find our Mary Snow. She's been talking with so many people that are excited to come back and also have a lot of concerns. Mary?

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra. You know, there is such a stark contrast between where we are here in Algiers and where you are. We're less than ten miles away. But there is a whole different world over here. That's because people here can drink water. There is electricity. Also there is a 911 system in place.

Now, Mayor Ray Nagin said he wants to use this community where residents are starting to come back today as sort of a test case to see the time line for when other communities in New Orleans will be able to get up and running. And we do expect to hear from the mayor later this afternoon.

He's been saying that he's going to make a day-to-day assessment and see how things are going. So far, residents are coming back. They are relieved. But they are also concerned and the concerns are varied. One gentleman I spoke with not too long ago said he is concerned about disease. He said his home was damaged, and that he is not ready to bring his family back here.

Another person I spoke to said that while he's so relieved to be back here after three weeks staying with relatives, he's keeping a very close eye on the weather to see what Rita is going to do and fortunately for him he's in an area where he can get cable television. That is really very rare around here these days.

So we are seeing signs of life though here in Algiers. We're seeing cars going by which is something we haven't seen for a long time. Also some churches and private groups have set up tents where they are giving out supplies.

Also the army corps of engineers is giving out blue tarps for people who did suffer damage. FEMA is giving out water and ice although the government has said that the drinking water is safe here. But this is really being seen as a test case. Kyra?

PHILLIPS: All right. Mary Snow there live in Algiers, thank you very much. We will follow that test case, of course, because there are a lot of people here in the city of New Orleans watching what's happening in Algiers. Not far from here over the bridge.

So if that works it could be an example of how things should be followed up here in New Orleans. But once again, following those health threats that Admiral Thad Allen U.S. Coast Guard is extremely concerned about.

Betty, coming up in the next I say 15, 20 minutes or so we've got another special story for you. You know, we've been talking a lot about Admiral Thad Allen now because he is the lead man in charge of efforts going on with regard to the joint task force hurricane Katrina. But you'll remember General Russell Honore (ph), the man that came in here, the one the mayor calls that John Wayne dude.

He did come in here and he got things done. And he got this city moving in the right direction. Well we have got another side to him. More of a personal side to him. And that is, he told me about the Louisiana National Guard, how they were coming home yesterday and that if I wanted to come along it was important that we focus on all these soldiers that were fighting in Iraq. And now were coming home to fight another battle and that is, deal with homes that have been lost,

Four-hundred of those 3,000 soldiers lost their homes here in this area. But they were saying to the general and to their commanding officers in Iraq we want to get back. We want to help rebuild our city. We've done what we need to do here, but we want to get back.

So we're going to talk about that homecoming as we flew with the general over to Alexandria, Louisiana, to meet those soldiers, but there's a twist. There's one soldier in that mix that has a very interesting connection to the general. And we'll tell you about that coming up in just a little bit, Betty.

NGUYEN: Oh you're going to keep us hanging on. I can't wait to see that twist. Thank you, Kyra. Talk to you soon.

All right. Tropical storm Rita is getting stronger and ahead on LIVE FROM we will show you how the pentagon is getting prepared for the storm.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Taking no chances this time around as tropical storm Rita threatens the U.S. coastline; the Pentagon puts a team in motion to help coordinate federal, state and local emergency response. CNN's Barbara Starr joins us with more on this developing story. Barbara, what's the latest?

BARBARA STARR, PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Betty, indeed, the Pentagon has sent a small number of coordinating officers to Florida as tropical storm Rita begins to approach the Florida coastline. But this time around there is a huge complication and once again its name is Katrina.

What military officials are watching very closely right now is the storm path and the possibility it will head into the Gulf of Mexico and head towards New Orleans. Now, if it does, what they say is they must make a decision in the next 24 hours about moving some of those military disaster relief ships and troops out of New Orleans and moving them out of harm's way from tropical storm Rita.

What their major concern is is the Marine Corps amphibious ship Iwo Jima. That is parked right in downtown New Orleans along the river. It is one of the major command centers for the military relief operation. As you can see, it is the place where President Bush has been briefed on the operation; military helicopters operate on and off the deck of that ship pretty much around the clock.

But even if Rita remains a tropical storm and approaches New Orleans, they say they're going to have to move the Iwo Jima out of New Orleans, out of the path of the storm. It simply can't stay there even with tropical storm-force winds. They will also have to move two cruise ships that are parked in New Orleans that are housing relief workers. They also will have to move the troops from the 82nd airborne and the other active duty and National Guard troops on the ground.

They will move all of this out of the way of the storm path and then be ready to move it back in once the storm passes. But, Betty, the real complication on those ships, they have to decide in the next 24 hours, because they need enough sailing time for those ships to move, get out into the Gulf of Mexico and on the back end of the storm. Betty?

NGUYEN: Yes, it is, indeed, critical. Barbara let me ask you though, if the Iwo Jima does have to be moved, will the command center remain there, or does that have to be moved as well?

STARR: Well that entire communications capability will pretty much go with the Iwo Jima. Now there is some additional communications capability at the headquarters at Camp Selby, Mississippi. There certainly is some communications capability with FEMA. But basically Mother Nature is the enemy here.

If you have these massive winds, these kinds of assets simply can't stay in the area. The major reason is, they too would sustain damage and could no longer function as disaster relief assets as those first responders. So they've got to get them out of the way if tropical storm Rita begins to head towards New Orleans. And they are going to have to start making some decisions as they say within the next 24 hours. Betty?

NGUYEN: Time is ticking. CNN's Barbara Starr, thank you.

A family reunion in the gulf region that was a long time coming. General Russell Honore welcomes home the Louisiana National Guard unit which just happens to include his son. We have details on that straight ahead.

Running away from Rita. The Florida Keys are being evacuated. We're tracking the storm just ahead on LIVE FROM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: The gulf coast is on alert again as tropical storm Rita strengthens and heads toward Florida. One town that's watching matters closely is D'Iberville, Mississippi. The town nestled between Biloxi and Gulfport was practically flattened by Katrina. Three weeks later, D'Iberville It is still pleading for help. CNN's Erica Hill is in D'Iberville and she was there over the weekend, as well, to assess the situation.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE):

ERICA HILL, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): Angela's Elsie's family still sleeps in the shed behind their house.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's our bathroom and our roll of paper. And that's how we do it. It's sad. I mean, we're not as bad as New Orleans, but we need help just as bad as New Orleans.

HILL: This is their living room. A dirt floor, a blue tarp for a roof. Over here plastic bags in place of a sewer system. Of course, no one expected damage like this and then afterwards. And perhaps even more surprising, no one thought they'd be living like this three weeks later. But the Elsie's say this is their only option.

In fact, six out of ten homes here in D'Iberville were destroyed according to the mayor. That left some 4,000 people homeless, and they still are.

MAYOR RUSTY QUAVE, MAYOR, D'IBERVILLE, MISSISSIPPI: And for the last two weeks FEMA has promised me trailers or tents. Just give me a pop-up tent for my people to live in. That's the most important thing in this community.

Hill: This neighborhood is basically gone. Some folks like Dolores and tom Moore have friends to stay with. But not everyone is so lucky.

RICHARD ROSE, CITY MGR., D'IBERVILLE, MISS.: We don't have a shelter here in D'Iberville for any of these people quite frankly. And that they want to be near their homes. That's why the people are not going to these shelters outside of the city.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's hard to see a family of five living in a car. It's hard to see them living under overpasses walking the streets.

HILL: Daily life for people up and down the Gulf Coast and the reality of the limits of a system never tested to this degree.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm getting angry. I was upset. But now I'm getting angry.

HILL: Yesterday the mayor met with FEMA officials and was told help is on the way.

QUAVE: I was promised tents yesterday for my people and when I got over there they said it would be 13 days. I can't wait 13 days. I need tents now for these people to get some type of satisfaction and some kind of -- some kind of end to this terrible tragedy.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Well, CNN has spoken with FEMA. The agency tells us it is working closely with the governor of Mississippi to better serve the people in need there and to streamline a response system that is severely overtaxed. And as promised, the Red Cross opened a shelter in D'Iberville over the weekend.

Well, tropical storm Rita poised to power into the Gulf of Mexico. We are tracking that storm. We'll have the latest just ahead on LIVE FROM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Now in the news, get out. That's the order from Florida officials and that's just what residents of the Florida Keys are doing as tropical storm Rita gets stronger and stronger. Rita is expected to become a hurricane before lashing the Keys sometime tomorrow and then power its way into the Gulf of Mexico.

It's another deadly day in Iraq. At least one civilian was killed when an insurgent mortar round exploded outside a house in a town about 30 miles north of Baghdad. In other attacks at least ten people were killed in two separate suicide car bombings. Officials say those attacks were aimed at Iraqi police providing security for Shiite pilgrims attending a religious ceremony in the holy city of Karbala.

International and Afghan officials are giving a thumbs up to key legislative elections despite a turnout sharply lower than last year's presidential election. Official's say yesterday's vote was another step towards solidifying democracy in Afghanistan. The vote was carried out despite threats of violence from Taliban rebels. Officials say 15 people were killed in election-related violence.

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