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American Morning
In California, Death Toll Stands at Two
Aired December 23, 2003 - 08:11 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.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We want to go now to California. The death toll stands at two from the major earthquake that rattled a large portion of California yesterday. But there is a lot of cleaning up to do from the jolt, which measured a magnitude of 6.5.
For the latest, let's go to Rusty Dornin.
She is in the hard hit community of Paso Robles, California -- good morning, Rusty.
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And, Anderson, that heart got ripped out yesterday with the major part of downtown here demolished by that earthquake. And, as you said, two fatalities. But the good news is the rescue part of this operation is over. And that's really pretty amazing when you take a look at the building that completely collapsed. That's the local bakery known as The House of Bread.
Apparently there were only two injuries. One man broke his arm. Another one was treated at the scene and released. But they took dogs in there. They took search crews in there and they don't believe anyone is left inside that rubble. Everyone is accounted for. No one who was downtown at the time -- the earthquake happened yesterday -- is missing.
But as we pan next door, we see the other building that was really destroyed in this earthquake, Pan Jewelers. Above that was the historic clock tower. Now, that building was built in 1892. And around the corner is where the roof collapsed, killing two women who were out in front of a dress shop there, a 20-year-old woman and a 55- year-old woman.
Now, the reason those -- these buildings fell is they are unreinforced masonry. They do not do well in an earthquake. In Colinga, which is about 60 miles from here, in 1983, it was a similar sized earthquake. That downtown was almost completely destroyed, as well, because it was built out of brick.
Also a manufacturing plant, I was told by a man when we were checking into the hotel yesterday, said that he's going to have to lay off some folks for a week or so from some ceiling tiles failing down. Later today, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will be here to do a tour of Paso Robles and the surrounding areas -- Anderson.
COOPER: All right, Rusty Dornin, thanks very much, live in Paso Robles.
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 December 23, 2003 - 08:11 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We want to go now to California. The death toll stands at two from the major earthquake that rattled a large portion of California yesterday. But there is a lot of cleaning up to do from the jolt, which measured a magnitude of 6.5.
For the latest, let's go to Rusty Dornin.
She is in the hard hit community of Paso Robles, California -- good morning, Rusty.
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And, Anderson, that heart got ripped out yesterday with the major part of downtown here demolished by that earthquake. And, as you said, two fatalities. But the good news is the rescue part of this operation is over. And that's really pretty amazing when you take a look at the building that completely collapsed. That's the local bakery known as The House of Bread.
Apparently there were only two injuries. One man broke his arm. Another one was treated at the scene and released. But they took dogs in there. They took search crews in there and they don't believe anyone is left inside that rubble. Everyone is accounted for. No one who was downtown at the time -- the earthquake happened yesterday -- is missing.
But as we pan next door, we see the other building that was really destroyed in this earthquake, Pan Jewelers. Above that was the historic clock tower. Now, that building was built in 1892. And around the corner is where the roof collapsed, killing two women who were out in front of a dress shop there, a 20-year-old woman and a 55- year-old woman.
Now, the reason those -- these buildings fell is they are unreinforced masonry. They do not do well in an earthquake. In Colinga, which is about 60 miles from here, in 1983, it was a similar sized earthquake. That downtown was almost completely destroyed, as well, because it was built out of brick.
Also a manufacturing plant, I was told by a man when we were checking into the hotel yesterday, said that he's going to have to lay off some folks for a week or so from some ceiling tiles failing down. Later today, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will be here to do a tour of Paso Robles and the surrounding areas -- Anderson.
COOPER: All right, Rusty Dornin, thanks very much, live in Paso Robles.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
