Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

Sea Wall May Not Protect Galveston; Traffic Jams From Houston to Dallas; Government Prepares To Aid After Hurricane Rita; JetBlue Plane Equipment Failure

Aired September 22, 2005 - 10:00   ET

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

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Category five storm. A hurricane watch is out for most of the Texas coast into Louisiana. More than a million Texans are under a mandatory evacuation order. Some freeways are clogged as residents head to higher ground.
The waters lapping Galveston may not be too rough right now but officials are warning against complacency. National Hurricane Center Director Max Mayfield says if Rita maintains its current intensity, it could be worse than Katrina.

The lessons learn from Katrina are helping in the evacuation for Rita. Our correspondents David Mattingly and Bob Franken are following that story. They are along the Texas coast. We are going to start in Galveston with David.

Good morning.

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: reporter: Good morning, Daryn.

We're down here next to the beach in Galveston, but the beach isn't what people normally remember when they come down here. It's what the strongest landmark they see starts right here with all of these boulders that are in the surf right now. Then all these massive pieces of concrete, leading up to the very imposing 17-foot wall, this sea wall.

This was constructed here after the hurricane of 1900 that came through and killed thousands of people. This has served the city very well over the last century. But with this storm coming, officials are already saying that this wall, as tall as it is, is not going to be nearly tall enough to protect them from the storm surge with this storm.

This is 17 feet high. With the storm surge they're predicting, the waves on top of that, there could be waves of 15 feet over the top of this sea wall. And this is all that's standing between the city of Galveston and the Gulf of Mexico.

Earlier we went and heard how city officials were warning the residents here that staying here would be a very, very bad decision.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR LYDA ANN THOMAS, GALVESTON, TEXAS: We hope that whoever is left here, except for the skeleton crew at the hospital and here in the city, we hope the majority of the citizens will move on out today. And we will be having our patrol cars go through the neighborhoods, particularly on the west end of the island which the not protected by the sea wall. We'll have our police forces down there with their loud speakers reminding people that they need to leave today because tomorrow will be too late. The roads to the west end will be flooded sometime tomorrow.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MATTINGLY: And today we're looking at almost no traffic at all on the island. People apparently listening to the warnings of their public officials. They're getting off of this island, getting out into that traffic that's on the mainland. We've been looking at that traffic all day. People are finding out that a journey that normally takes minutes is now turning into hours and people also finding out they may not have enough gasoline to get where they're going.

So a lot of problems to be overcome as people try to get out of this storm's way. But again, Daryn, when this storm comes ashore and meets Galveston, this is right where it's going to happen. And officials are saying this wall isn't going to be enough to stop it.

KAGAN: Yes, the only thing stopped right now is that traffic. David, we're going to be talking to some of those people stuck on the freeways in just a minute.

Right now let's head to the southwest and our Bob Franken who is standing by in Corpus Christi.

Good morning, Bob.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And good morning, Daryn.

And in Corpus Christi, there is a mandatory evacuation order. The mayor has imposed one. By the way, for the first time in Texas history, these evacuation orders are mandatory. And what is so intriguing is that perhaps now it is not so necessary to do that because, as the mayor told CNN just a while ago, Katrina at least provided some lessons learned.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR HENRY GARRETT, CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS: I think what took place in New Orleans got their attention big time. I think the level of awareness is a lot higher today than it would have been maybe a month ago. So we are very pleased with the way they're responded. Of course, you're going to have people who are determined to stay. But we're encouraging them every time we get an opportunity to evacuate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANKEN: Now, the storm, if it maintains any variation of its intensity, could affect things this way. Take a look over here. Here you have a fence. This fence reflects the top of the flood wall here. The flood wall, of course, protecting against the waters from Corpus Christi Bay and the Gulf of Mexico where the storm is coming from.

However, it has happened several times in the past that when there has been a significant storm, the water doesn't stop there, it literally comes up to about here, Daryn. And the road is down here. So Shoreline Drive, which is a major thoroughfare, could be totally underwater. Of course, the problem would not be such a big one if everybody has, in fact, followed the orders to evacuate.

Daryn.

KAGAN: And, Bob, as part of those orders, I understand, there is a deadline about five hours from now, 2:00 p.m. local time?

FRANKEN: There is. But there are deadlines and there are deadlines. What the city hopes to do is by tomorrow be able to sweep through here and have nobody left.

By the way, among the lessons that are learned, officials are not making in same kinds of mistakes they perceived in Katrina. Lots of buses here to take people who are not able to provide their own transportation. They're also doing things likes allowing those who are evacuating to bring their pets. You know what a problem that was in New Orleans and all along the Gulf Coast.

So the lessons are being learned and they hope that they successfully protect against what could be a really devastating storm.

KAGAN: All right, Bob Franken in Corpus Christi, thank you.

Now I want to use a computer model to show you something that David Mattingly was talking about back in Galveston.

OK, here you get an idea. The island is less than 10 feet above sea level. Part of the island is protected by that massive sea wall, which David was pointing is 17 feet high. But it might not help against a category five hurricane. A storm of that size could easily bring a surge of sea water higher than 18 feet as this computer projection shows. A storm surge of that magnitude could engulf the entire island.

So predicting where Rita ultimately makes landfall is still a guessing game this hour. Safe to say though that no matter where the eye hits, the hurricane effects will be spread out along hundreds of miles of coastline. This is something that Jacqui brings up time and time again. Don't stay so focused on where it makes landfall.

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: That's right, Daryn.

This going to affect millions and millions of people. And even if it doesn't affect Galveston directly with the eye, they are going to get nailed with the strong winds and some storm surge, we think.

This storm extends across it's pushing 400 miles across already. Hard to believe. And look at the satellite imagery. There you go. It pretty much takes up the entire eastern part of the Gulf of Mexico. And it's continuing to get larger. We've had a little bit of weakening with the storm over the last couple hours. Those winds at about 170 miles per hour. And now but still the most catastrophic of hurricanes at a category five.

The hurricane watches have been posted most along the entire Texas coast. Extending over into Intracoastal City, Louisiana. Tropical storm watches extending east of there to the mouth of the Mississippi River. This means conditions expected in 36 hours or less.

We're probably going to see some changes with this, I think, by the 11:00 advisory, changing them up to warnings. So make sure you stick around because we may see some changes in the track at that time as well. That's when the National Hurricane Center is going to be updating it. That's 10:00 Central Time.

Here's your forecast track and here's that cone of air we were talking about and it does extend from just north of Corpus Christi, all the way over to central parts of Louisiana. Best bet at this time is still looking very close to Galveston. But remember, there's still a fair amount of error as we're not looking at landfall until early on Saturday morning. Holding major hurricane status, three, four or five, when it makes landfall, we think.

Now, talk about how big this storm is, Daryn. Take a look at this. This is the wind field. These are the hurricane force winds in the orange. The tropical storm force winds extending out in the yellow. There you can see the time stamp 2:00 in the morning on Friday tropical storm force winds beginning to brush the Louisiana coast, spreading into much of Texas. This is Friday afternoon, hurricane force winds will be arriving.

Then later in the day, and look how far inland this thing goes, it's going to be affecting you in Austin, extending on up toward Dallas. And unfortunately we're not just concerned about the landfall, we're worried about what's going to happen inland because this thing is probably going to be stalling out as it heads up into northern Texas, into Oklahoma and into Arkansas and can produce some torrential downpours and some serious flooding issues.

Daryn.

KAGAN: All right, Jacqui, thank you.

Now we're going to go right to the roads to find out the story as it's progressing. Just how bad is the crush of traffic as people try to evacuate Houston? Our next guest is stuck in that traffic. He has traveled 40 miles in, get this, 13 hours. Tim Conklin joining us by phone right now on route to Dallas.

Tim, I'd say good morning but I don't know that that's appropriate right now.

TIM CONKLIN, HOUSTON EVACUEE: It's been a long night here

KAGAN: Yes, I bet it has. So 13 hours and you've only gone 40 miles.

CONKLIN: Well, we're up to 48 miles now.

KAGAN: Oh, well that's a little bit better.

CONKLIN: Yes.

KAGAN: A little encouraging.

CONKLIN: It's been horrible.

KAGAN: Now, the traffic into the Houston area tends to be pretty bad anyway, but nothing like this?

CONKLIN: Nothing like this.

KAGAN: You sent your family ahead of time, so they're already out?

CONKLIN: My family left just three-and-a-half hours ahead of me and arrived in Dallas in about seven hours.

KAGAN: So that three hours made the total difference?

CONKLIN: Made the total difference. And also the city of Houston changed some of the routes you could use into Houston. But it probably cost me about five hours.

KAGAN: And for people not as familiar with Texas, how long is the drive usually from Houston to Dallas? How long should it take with no traffic?

CONKLIN: Four hours.

KAGAN: So a four-hour drive. And ultimately, how long I mean, have you gone past predicting what you think this is going to be like?

CONKLIN: Yes. I have no idea.

KAGAN: We're hearing some people running out of gas along the way. Do you think you have enough gas to make it?

CONKLIN: I was full when I left. And I have more than a half a tank now. You know, definitely seen a lot of cars broken down on the road. And quite a few people out of gas and, you know, kind of standing around looking at everybody.

KAGAN: What about tempers?

CONKLIN: Tempers have not been too bad actually. Everyone's kind of let people, you know, change lanes and stuff. It hasn't been too bad.

KAGAN: I've got to tell you, you sound kind of tired. You've been up all night sitting in the car, right?

CONKLIN: Yes. A little hoarse.

KAGAN: Are you just going to stick with it?

CONKLIN: I have to.

KAGAN: And why did you pick Dallas as ultimate destination for your family?

CONKLIN: My office decided to evacuate some key personnel there and also I have a father-in- law there, so it was kind of a good place to put my wife and kids also.

KAGAN: So let me ask you this, Tim. With everything that happened with Katrina, did that get your attention and change your plans, not just basically what you plan to do with your family in the wake of this storm?

CONKLIN: It certainly you know, the awareness was probably heightened. With the category you know the way the storm moved from a tropical storm of the way to a three so quickly yesterday and on into, I guess, a four and five last night, I just don't think you have a choice.

KAGAN: And when the family packed up, how long are you planning on or are you ready to be away from your home?

CONKLIN: I told my wife to pack like she was going on a week vacation.

KAGAN: Well, hopefully that it will end up being like a vacation and you can . . .

CONKLIN: Exactly.

KAGAN: You can keep that mood. You're hanging in there. You're being a trooper. Wish you well in inching your way from Houston to Dallas.

CONKLIN: Thank you. You know the one thing you could find out for me?

KAGAN: I'm sorry?

CONKLIN: Are you there?

KAGAN: Yes. Go ahead.

CONKLIN: The one thing you could find out for me is, how is the traffic on I-35 going north?

KAGAN: I-35 going north.

CONKLIN: Yes, from Waco-ish to Dallas.

KAGAN: Tell you what. Just because you've been such a help to us, we're going to get the answer. We have your cell phone. We're going to give you a call back . . .

CONKLIN: Great.

KAGAN: And give you a little personal traffic service there.

CONKLIN: I appreciate it. I appreciate it.

KAGAN: And we appreciate what you're going through. And I'm glad that your family is able to go out and is safe.

CONKLIN: Thanks. Thanks.

KAGAN: Tim Conklin.

CONKLIN: One other thing.

KAGAN: Yes.

CONKLIN: They say the contra flow is open now. It is not open.

KAGAN: It is not open.

CONKLIN: There's still traffic coming south down I-45.

KAGAN: So you're passing that on for other folk whose might be . . .

CONKLIN: Yes. They said they open it at 9:00. It's not open. Local radio saying it's probably not even until 10:00.

KAGAN: Well, I know there are folks that listen to this program on satellite radio, so that will help as you pass on that traffic information.

Tim, thank you.

CONKLIN: Thank you.

KAGAN: Wish you safe travels and speedier travels than 48 miles in 13 hours as he tries to inch his way from Houston into Dallas. A lot people in that same situation this morning.

Federal government this time around is vowing a swift and seamless response to Hurricane Rita. The Homeland Security Department has already declared what they're calling an incident of national significance. Already manpower and equipment are being rushed to the region. For the latest, here's our Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr.

Barbara, good morning.

BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Daryn.

Well, as all of those people are urgently trying to get out of the hurricane's path, the military is trying to figure out how it is going to get in to the area and how it's going to get in quickly. The military strategy shaping up now ahead of the storm. The but big lesson learned from Katrina, don't wait to be asked.

What we do now know, there are about 1,000 Marines on two amphibious warships in the Gulf of Mexico. The Iwo Jima and the Shreveport, which were both in New Orleans, of course, now have left New Orleans. A thousand Marines on board. They are out in the Gulf of Mexico positioning to ride back into Texas behind the storm and go in once they determine where landfall is, where the worse damage may have occurred.

The big lesson from Katrina, of course, was with massive flooding, with so many roads out, it was tough for the military to get in as quickly as they wanted to. So those 1,000 Marines very amphibious. They will be able to go ashore, they feel, no matter how bad this situation is.

The other lesson learned from Katrina, communication goes out. So already military communications teams are being positioned with both satellite radios and satellite communication systems. If those cell towers go out, if landlines go out, they will have some capability on the ground. The idea is unlike in New Orleans, in these difficult pictures we saw from New Orleans, be ready to communicate, be ready to move in.

And they are preparing, hoping for the best, preparing for the worse. Indeed, the military also, they tell us, prepared to help civilian authorities staff a 2,500 bed field hospital, if that becomes necessary, and help serve as much as 500,000 meals a day across this stricken region.

Daryn.

KAGAN: Sounds like they took a lot of notes in the wake of Katrina.

Barbara, thank you.

Well, as we are saying, more than a million people fleeing the projected path of Hurricane Rita. One man, though, heading toward the storm. What drives people to put themselves in danger just to document nature's furry? We're going to talk to a hurricane chaser ahead this hour.

Already suffering new fears now for New Orleans with Rita in the waters off the Gulf, the city could get drenched. How much rain can the already-damaged levees handle?

And did you see this one unfold last night in Los Angeles? A jet in distress, passengers on board were watching their own drama. They could watch television on the plane. We'll hear from them just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Let's take a look at what's happening right now live on this hour on Capitol Hill as we look at these live pictures. It is the Senate Judiciary Committee getting ready to vote on Chief Justice Nominee John Roberts. His approval is expected within the next hour or two. His nomination then will go to the full Senate where confirmation is expected next week. President Bush has said he wants Roberts in place as chief justice when the court's term begins next month.

Just minute ago President Bush attended a Pentagon briefing on the nation's war on terror. That meeting was closed to the media but Mr. Bush will share some of his own assessments in a news briefing scheduled in less than two hours from now.

To Las Vegas. Police say they're not sure if a motorist intentionally jump a curb and plow into a crowd of people walking along the famous Strip. One person was killed, at least a dozen injured. An off-duty police officer arrested the 27-year-old California man. He remains jailed this morning.

Delta Airlines has released some numbers and details to flush (ph) out last week's bankruptcy filing. The nation's third largest carrier said earlier today it will eliminate as many as 9,000 jobs by the end of 2007. It will also reduce employee pay and intensify its focus on international flights.

And now, did you see this one unfold last night in the skies over Los Angeles? A true white- knuckle drama. This one, though, had an ending that could have been pinned by nearby Hollywood. Our Thelma Gutierrez has the play-by-play of an emergency landing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): At 3:17 Pacific Time, JetBlue Flight 292 takes off from Burbank Airport in California headed for JFK in New York. On board, 140 passengers and six crew members.

Shortly after takeoff, a warning light turns on. There's a problem with the front landing gear. The pilot flies by an air control tower so the ground crew can make a visual inspection. The front landing gear is turned sideways at a 90-degree angle and cannot retract into the plane. That means landing with broken landing gear.

On board, passengers begin to watch live coverage of what is happening to them.

ALEXANDRA JACOBS, JETBLUE PASSENGER: We couldn't believe the irony that we might be watching our own demise on television.

DAVE REINETZ, JETBLUE PASSENGER: About 10 minutes before we landed, they cut it all off. That was the scariest part was when they cut it off because I thought, oh, there's something going on they're not telling us.

GUTIERREZ: Since the plane is loaded with enough fuel for a cross-country trip, it's too heavy to land quickly. So the Airbus and it's 140 passengers circle above Los Angeles for more than three hours to burn fuel and lighten the load.

JACOBS: The flight attendants were absolutely wonderful. They didn't have an alarmed look on their faces at all and I think that was very reassuring.

GUTIERREZ: Some 150 firefighters lined the runway at Los Angeles International Airport. The airport with the longest and widest runways in the area. After three hours, the pilot makes his final approach, easing the plane down, keeping its nose gear in the air as long as possible. Finally, the broken landing gear hits the runway. The tires burst into flames. It looks ominous from the outside, but inside the cabin, there's calm.

JACOBS: The landing itself, I've got to say, it was like the best landing I've ever had. People cheered, applauded, there was tears, euphoria. It was wonderful.

GUTIERREZ: Thelma Gutierrez, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And here's one final, final chapter of the ordeal. Earlier this morning, many of those New York-bound passengers completed their journey. They landed at JFK Airport thankfully without incident. But plenty of hugs. A long night for them.

Well, let's get back to the situation as millions of people trying to get out of the Houston, Texas, area as Hurricane Rita is making its way towards the Texas coast. Let's bring in reporter Amy Barnett. She's with KPRC, one of our affiliates. And I would say traffic but, Amy, that looks more like a parking lot behind you.

AMY BARNETT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's exactly what it looks like and that's what it has looked like for hours. We've been in the same spot since about midnight and every once in a while you'll see a truck roll, a car roll a few feet and then it stops again.

You can see people right here. Look under here. You see this man pushing his van. He's pushing his van because he doesn't want to run out of gas. And you can move it just as quickly that we as you can idling or rolling a little bit. So a lot of people have been pushing their vehicles here.

You can see people standings on the side of the road. They're doing that to stretch their legs because their cars they can pretty much leave them sitting for five, 10 minutes at a time, that's how bad it is. People have been walking their dogs, getting their children out to change their diapers. It's just one of those situation where they've been stuck, some for about 15 hours.

This is Highway 290. This is the main road leading you from Houston to Austin. These people thought they were going to Austin to evacuate. It normally takes them about three hours. But again, 14, 15, 16 hours.

This is the feeder rode over here. It's just as packed. A lot of people have been cutting through the grassy median thinking they can get through quicker but they're just not. You see a man taking his child out of the truck over there to let him walk around. It's just one of these situation where people are trying to be patient but this is all they can do really but they're really wanting to get out of the way of Rita.

Now what we have learned here just recently is the Texas Department of Transportation will close down all of the inbound lanes of the main highways going into Houston and make those out bound lanes as well. They're working on that right now, so hopefully that will clear up the situation pretty soon.

KAGAN: So that should help. But for now, we were talking to one man just a few minutes ago who is stuck in that traffic. He said he's gone 48 miles in the last 13 hours. He said, though, attitudes, people really haven't lost their cool yet.

BARNETT: I'm sorry. About their attitudes?

KAGAN: How are you finding people's attitudes now? Are they kind of going with the flow? Losing (INAUDIBLE)?

BARNETT: They are going with the flow. It's amazing. Most people have they just know they can't do anything about it, so they're going with the flow.

We did have one man earlier run up to me right before a live shot and he said, tell me what to do. I don't know what to do. They're telling us to evacuate but I don't want to be stuck on this highway when this hurricane comes through. Tell me what to do.

And, of course, I said, I don't want to be the one to tell you what to do. Pay attention to what they're saying. They're still telling people to try to evacuate. We've got about 48 hours before it makes landfall. About 24 hours before we start feeling some of the effects.

But with what they're doing now with the highway, they're believing that people will be able to make their way out in time and so that's what people are doing. Hopefully not running out of gas before then, though.

KAGAN: All right, Amy Barnett with our affiliate KPRC.

Amy, thank you. You hang in there, too.

We can get some more information now on exactly about what the plans are in the state of Texas to handle all of this traffic coming out of Houston and the coast. Mark Cross is a spokesman with the Texas Department of Transportation. He joins me on the phone right now from Austin, Texas.

Mark, good morning.

MARK CROSS, TEXAS DEPT. OF TRANSPORTATION: Good morning.

KAGAN: Well, you can see the pictures as well as we can. People are stuck in parking lots on those highways.

CROSS: Yes, they are. We have an unprecedented event going on where we're trying to evacuate three million plus people out of the Houston area.

KAGAN: So some of the plans you're making, we were hearing a local reporter there say very soon she's hearing that the inbound lanes into Houston are going to be turned around so that double the traffic will be able to head out.

CROSS: We are going to do contra flow traffic, reverse the traffic, on I-45 north. Just north of Houston is where we'll begin. The contra flow going up north to Buffalo about 100 some odd miles just to help relieve that traffic. We also are going to do reverse some traffic on I-10 west out of Houston starting on the west side of Houston going further west to try to relieve some of that traffic.

KAGAN: And when is that supposed to happen?

CROSS: The I-10 reversal will happen this afternoon. The I-45 reversal will happen later this morning.

KAGAN: And why the delay?

CROSS: We've got so much traffic on those facilities right now we cannot reverse the traffic with the flow that we've still got rush hour traffic on these facilities right now coming inbound.

KAGAN: You still have people wanting to come into Houston?

CROSS: We still have people coming into Houston, believe it or not.

KAGAN: And what about the models you have. I'm sure you do you plan for things like this?

CROSS: We have planned for things like this. But it is our first time to actually have to implement it.

KAGAN: As we've seen in other situations recently, when you actually put things into effect you kind of learn as you go.

CROSS: Exactly. We are learning.

KAGAN: Yes.

What about for the folks that we're seeing breaking down on the side of the road because they're just simply running out of gas?

CROSS: We are working as fast and as accurately as we can in cooperation with the state emergency operation center with the Texas Department of Public Safety and the governor's office. We have to work with them before we can do any of this.

KAGAN: Now, as we saw in Louisiana, sometimes when these different agencies, state, local, federal all have to work together, things don't go that smoothly. Are things going a little bit better for you guys?

CROSS: Things are going pretty smoothly for us is the word that I'm getting from the emergency operation center.

KAGAN: And you'll be staying put there in Austin as the storm comes through?

CROSS: Yes, we'll be here in Austin.

KAGAN: All right. Mark Cross with the Texas Department of Transportation. You have a big job ahead of you over the next coming hours. Wish you well with that.

Thank you, Mark Cross on the phone with us.

We are talking about home owners. There's something to be learned from this, even if you live nowhere near the coast. A lot of residents in the Gulf Coast are getting more bad news from their insurance companies. How to keep the same thing from happening to you. We're going to ask if you are actually under insured with your homeowners insurance.

And you thought about those high gas prices after Katrina. You thought that was bad. Well, apparently get ready. There's a potential you haven't seen anything yet. More shock at the pump this time around.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)