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American Morning
River Crests in Davenport; Coast Guard on Watch
Aired April 25, 2001 - 09:01 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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to begin with the coming of the crest. That's right: The mighty Mississippi may show some mercy to people in Davenport, Iowa now. Forecasters are saying the river crest was short of a record, but water levels are still well above flood stage. And they could remain that way for a few more days.
CNN's Jeff Flock, as you know, has been braving the high water for us all week. He joins us now live this morning from Davenport.
Jeff, how's it looking so far?
JEFF FLOCK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, Leon, this morning out on the river, we wanted to kind of give you a sense for what this crest looked like in Davenport outside the sandbag levee downtown -- and as perhaps you can see, a lot of water here. We're off not too far from John O'Donnell Stadium.
But thanks to the Coast Guard for giving us a look this morning. The worst not over here in your view, Commander Thomas?.
LT. CMDR. TOM THOMAS, U.S. COAST GUARD: No, sir. Well, right now, the river is a crest. We expect to stay here at least for 36 hours. And it could stay up above flood stage for well into May.
FLOCK: So you are on still high alert here out on the river?.
THOMAS: Oh yes. We are here right now ready to assist in any search-and-rescue that might be needed, evacuation, and to assist any local emergency response people that we might be needed to assist.
FLOCK: Now, that sandbag levee downtown is holding on at this moment. What do you make of that? Is it -- you think that's going to hold?
THOMAS: Well, I sure hope so and everything. The local people here have done a -- just a marvelous job. A lot of hard work has gone into this. And they are really fighting it.
FLOCK: Now, we are just approaching John O'Donnell Stadium out here right now. We've been showing our viewers this all week. This sandbag levee that they had around that really took a beating.
We were out in a boat with you earlier in the week. And that windy day, boy, that really gave it a beating, didn't it? THOMAS: Oh yes, sir, it was overtopping a levee, it was a lot of big waves coming against it. The wind can be a major problem in floods like this -- wind-produced waves and cause a lot of damage.
FLOCK: What do you make of the effort that they have put through here in Davenport in terms of fighting this? I know we've had a lot of flap about flood wall, no flood wall. But what do you make of the efforts that they've engaged in so far?
THOMAS: All I can say is all the local people, the local business, citizens, local fire department, and police and emergency response people have just done a fantastic job -- a lot of hard work -- highly impressed at everything they've done here.
FLOCK: I've got to ask you before we get away here: What you're find out here -- because you were out here -- we showed our viewers earlier in the morning some of what's out in this water -- what are you finding out here?
THOMAS: Well, we're looking for pollution problems that might be out here -- also any floating propane tanks, or anything like that that would be an environmental problem -- and, of course, emergency response. That's one of the problems -- one of the things that -- we're here and we're ready.
FLOCK: There's a lot of debris coming down this river, isn't there, sir?
THOMAS: Yes, sir. And one of the things is propane tanks and the hazards of that sort imploding in the river. There are problems there, yes sir. There's sewage and things like that also.
FLOCK: OK. You had a -- lastly, before we get away, any idea about how long you're going to be on station here?
THOMAS: No, sir. That's going to be up to according to how much more rain, if we get any upstream. There's just -- well, we're be here as long as we're needed. "Semper Paratus" -- "Always Ready" is the Coast Guard's motto. So here we are and we're ready.
FLOCK: I hear you -- Commander Thomas, appreciate it -- appreciate the tour this morning.
Sun overhead -- and that is always good news -- no rain. This is some sense of what it looks like here -- boy, this ball stadium, a good-looking stadium, but right now, got a lot of water in it.
We'll keep watching this, Leon. That's the latest from Davenport on the water -- back to you.
HARRIS: All right, good deal. Thanks, Jeff. We'll get back to you later on this morning.
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