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CNN Sunday Morning
Aftereffects of Tropical Storm Batter Gulf Coast
Aired June 10, 2001 - 10:08 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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's change gears back to the weather scene. All along the Gulf Coast, Texas and Louisiana hard hit in the remnants of tropical storm Allison.
Jill Brown has gotten her battery charged on her microphone. She is hear to give us the latest update.
Technology fails us every now and again, doesn't it Jill?
JILL BROWN, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Every once and awhile, at the right time always.
Well, we've been watching Houston most closely, but now I think we're going to be added to the list of places effected. We've already had a lot of heavy rain in Louisiana, and that's where we think we're going to see the heaviest rain today.
So Houston, actually, getting a little bit of a break. Maybe a few passing showers. Could have some heavier downpours later in the day, but now, look at this mass coming up into New Orleans where heavy rain is reported right now, and over toward Baton Rouge, where we'll see some heavier rain.
And that's the spot that we've seen the heaviest total so far in Louisiana. Look at this, 18.5 inches, that's the five day total. New Orleans has had 11 inches and counting, of course. And Lake Charles has had over 6 inches. And joining us now is Jay Grymes from WASB in Baton Rouge.
And Jay, that's the spot that we've seen the heaviest rain. Is that what you've been seeing as well there in Louisiana?
JAY GRYMES, WASB REPORTER: Hi, Jill. Actually, the numbers to the east are even worse. If we move 10 to 20 miles east of Baton Rouge, we've got totals over there in the 20-plus category, even a few isolated weather service cooperative observers reporting 25-plus. So, the numbers are huge and, of course, as you can see right there, the flooding is just widespread and extensive. In the areas, in the lower reaches of some of the Florida Parish rivers, we're probably looking at what will be flood of record across the region.
This is truly catastrophic and, of course, as you're showing with your radar, just a moment ago, it's not over yet. We're looking at the possibility of another one to four inches of rain, local totals maybe even six or more. And, worse case scenarios paint numbers that could be larger than that. There's no place for this water to go.
BROWN: Jay, this sounds a lot like what we've been looking at in Houston. Tell me about the terrain there around Baton Rouge. I know it's flat, and that has something to do with the flooding that you get there.
GRYMES: That's exactly right, especially between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, it is very flat. There is virtually no slope, so there's really not any place to put the water. Lake Pontchartrain is where this water is supposed to go, but with the rotation around that low, we've got south winds, which means the lake is not draining either, and so many of these rivers are starting to slow down in terms of their flow.
They're becoming more like lakes than rivers, which means not only are, in their lower reaches of the rivers, are they still rising, but when they do finally crest, which could be a couple of days away depending on how much more rain we get, it could still be days after that before they really start to drain properly.
BROWN: Do you have an idea, Jay, of how many businesses and homes are effected? It looks like a pretty extensive area.
GRYMES: I think we're certainly in the thousands already and the next 24 to 36 hours are going to be the make or break numbers. Just another foot or so on many of these rivers will mean a magnitude increase in the number of homes effected.
As you've already mentioned earlier, we've had at least 20 parishes already declared states of emergency and I really expect that number to go up.
BROWN: OK. Jay Grymes from WASB in Baton Rouge, we thank you for joining us and wish you look over the next couple of days.
Again, another quick look at the radar here. Look at this. Heavy rain in New Orleans now, Baton Rouge in this area. Expecting more heavy rain. That's where it's really been concentrated in Louisiana, the heaviest overall, and it looks like while Houston may be seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, in Louisiana the heaviest rain is still coming in and we'll see this kind of spread to the southeast over the next couple of days.
So, the story goes on with Allison. Miles, back to you.
O'BRIEN: Alright, thank you very much, Jill.
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