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CNN Saturday Morning News

Missing Kids After Katrina; How To Fund Katrina Aid; Holland Levee System; Opelia Continues And New Tropical Depression Forms; Animals In Bad COnditions After Katrina; Iran Will Continue Nuclear Program; California In Case of Another Earthquake; Business Returns to New Orleans; Legal Mess In Areas Affected By Katrina

Aired September 17, 2005 - 10:00   ET

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

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING, the 17th day of September. I'm Betty Nguyen.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Tony Harris. Take a look at the left side of your screen. For the next few days, you will see pictures of children who have been missing since the arrival of Hurricane Katrina nearly three weeks ago.

NGUYEN: We are working with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to help bring Gulf coast families back together. Now some parents didn't expect to be separated from the children so they don't have pictures readily available. As you see there are only silhouettes with a name and an age. Now, if you recognize though any of the names or the pictures of these children, please call the number that you see on the screen. It's 1-800-843-5678. That is 1-800-the- lost.

First up this morning, we wanted to tell you about the latest from the disaster zone in our "Mission Critical" update. The death toll in Louisiana stands at 579 people. More than 800 people in five states have died from the storm. The Red Cross has some big numbers in hand. The organization says it has helped serve more than nine million meals to survivors of Katrina. The Red Cross also says it has taken in nearly $700 million in donations to the relief effort.

The shelter at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas, is now empty. The last of the evacuees left that facility yesterday. Now, many have relocated to more permanent housing while others moved just next door to Reliant Arena.

The Army Corps of Engineers says the draining of New Orleans has passed the halfway point. Forty percent of the city remains under water, but officials still expect to have the draining complete by early October.

HARRIS: Well, Betty, with water going out, business can come back in. That's the first step toward getting back to normal. Business leaders in New Orleans are making their return today to downtown and into the famous French Quarter. CNN's Mary Snow is in New Orleans for us. Mary, good morning.

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Tony. And this is one of the designated areas, the Uptown district. As you mentioned, getting back in, the second step will be clearing debris like this and rebuilding. Some of these retail shops still boarded up.

On a normal Saturday this street has about 12 small businesses. It's normally, we're told, bustling. There's coffee shops, a big grocery store over here. Totally empty and we're starting to see some business owners coming back in. I talked to one gentlemen earlier to day who described it as eerie and spooky to coming back to see all the damage.

Now there is no electricity in this area. And also, business owners are being told that they cannot drink the water. This is especially daunting for people who own restaurants. We met up with a restaurant owner earlier hoping (ph) to open (ph), but without water and electricity that is especially difficult, besides the fact that his restaurant suffered severe damage to the roof and to the inside. Still, he says he's determined to rebuild.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's all we have. This is what we have. This is our home. We'll stick with it. And hopefully everyone will feel the same way we are because we have some friends that are coming back. And I just want to let everybody know this is a beautiful town. You better come back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SNOW: And also a problem with the gentleman we just spoke, he says he has run out of cash. He has another location. Both of these locations were also looted. His other restaurant was totally destroyed, so part of the big effort here is just getting money from the insurance companies. That's what he's hoping for.

Now, this is, as I said, is one of three areas. Two other areas that are open today to business owners, the French Quarter and Central Business District. People are being allowed to come in only at specified times though between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. There is a curfew in place and people are being checked.

There are military checkpoints. People have to have identification in order to come in. And then on Monday we'll start seeing some residents come in. The area of Algiers is the first area in New Orleans where residents will be able to start moving back into their homes -- Tony.

HARRIS: Well, Mary, it's a long way back, but this is at least a start. Mary Snow for us in New Orleans. Mary, thank you.

NGUYEN: Billions of federal dollars will be needed to rebuild and repair New Orleans and the rest of the Gulf coast for that matter. President Bush promised that the government would be there to help. But where is the money coming from? And for that we're joined by CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux. That's the million dollar question. In fact, it's probably going to cost a lot more than a million bucks. SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: A lot more then a million bucks. As we heard Mary talk about, many of the businesses coming back, residents coming back, how are they going to do this? How are they going to afford this? Well, President Bush laying out a plan and giving at least some details about that.

He's talked about Gulf opportunity zones or Go-zones, allowing tax credits for business. He also talked about a homesteading act to provide at least some free federal land for low income families to help rebuild and also recovery some accounts to allow for childcare, education -- up to $5,000 for that.

The big question, how is the federal government going to afford all of this? The president announcing really an unprecedented amount of money here. They didn't give dollar figure but White House aides believe it's going to be somewhere around $200 billion.

Now so far what some people have called for, specifically Democrats, is perhaps a tax hike for citizens to help pay for all of this. President Bush vehemently disagreeing with this saying that he believes that tax cuts should remain permanent.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We have debts (ph) that are going to cost money. And I'm confident we can handle it and I'm confident we can handle our other priorities. It's going to mean that we're going to have to make sure we cut unnecessary spending. It is going to mean we don't do -- we've got to maintain economic growth and therefore we should not raise taxes.

MALVEAUX: Now the White House economic advisor, Al Hubbard, says that of course it is going to be federal taxpayers who are going to be paying for this recovery effort and that means an increase in the federal budget deficit. We're talking about an estimated -- right now the federal deficit being $314 billion for 2006 budget.

That perhaps could go up as much as $200 billion. Now the White House refuses to speculate on what kinds of cuts it is talking about having to make but there are fiscal conservatives from the Republican party who are already outlining their ideas.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: We're going to end up with the highest deficit probably in the history of this country. So we need to find ways to impose efficiencies. One of the ideas that we're kicking around is to take the $25 billion that was added in highway port, someway and help (ph), eliminate that and put that towards paying off the disaster relief efforts in the Gulf states.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: So, Betty, there are going to be some serious sacrifices that need to be made. The White House not yet willing to say specifically what they are but the 2006 budget already passed, approved by Congress, calls for at least 12 out of 23 government agencies to actually already get severe cuts -- Betty.

NGUYEN: And it has to add up some way and we'll be watching. Correspondent Suzanne Malveaux, thank you for that -- Tony.

HARRIS: Former President Clinton says leadership is crucial when it comes to responding to disasters. He tells CNN's Larry King FEMA's chief should be required to have excellent credentials.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think that the president did the right thing in taking responsibility. Clearly the FEMA response was slow and there are lots of reasons that I think that happened. I believe that there should be some reorganization there.

LARRY KING, HOST: Should FEMA not be part of national security?

CLINTON: Well, you know, I'm biased. I liked it the way it was. I think the most important thing is that we probably should some sort of requirement that anyone who has the job has prior experience in emergency management. It is a very serious, important job.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: As Hurricane Katrina showed us, catastrophic events can happen anywhere. They're not confined to third world countries. This evening CNN is teaming up with President Clinton for a global summit on poverty, climate change, religious conflict and corruption. Tune in tonight at 8:00 p.m. Eastern.

NGUYEN: Well, thousands of families were torn apart by Hurricane Katrina, leaving hundreds of children's separated from their loved ones. Many may be shuffling through shelters when their families are at different cities. The Center for Missing and Exploited Children is trying to reunite these families. And CNN's Kimberly Osias is there with an update on the mission. How is progress being made there? Are you seeing much progress?

KIMBERLY OSIAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I'll tell you, they are certainly diligently working away at that, Betty. You know, it is a very difficult, very expansive effort. Talk about shuffling things. You know, oftentimes on Saturdays many parents are shuffling and shuttling their children from softball to soccer -- you name it -- and sort of sandwiching their own errands in between.

But there are a lot of parents today that this Saturday do not have that luxury. That's why there are a number of former law enforcement officers really working some very, very long hours, many days, day after day from all over the country from Wyoming from Hawaii, from the northeast, as well.

One such person, one such volunteer is Thomas Shamshak, a former police chief in the Massachusetts area who came down here, really felt called to be here. I mean, what brought you out here? TOM SHAMSHAK, VOLUNTEER: I'm a member of Project Alert. And I also volunteer for a foundation back in Massachusetts, the Molly Bish Foundation which looks for missing children as well. We're here lending our experience working the phones, dealing with the crisis intervention here, collecting information and reuniting parents with their children.

OSIAS: But this is really tough stuff. I mean, psychologically you're offering a lot of sort of first aid, help and hope. And I mean, you've have to keep yourself refueled and that's a long haul.

SHAMSHAK: Well, I've been swimming days when we leave here. I have been here since Sunday the 11. You actually -- you forget ...

OSIAS: Yes, I was going to say you probably forget.

SHAMSHAK: It is very grueling at times dealing with the emotional impact that this has. The worst nightmare for a parent is having a missing child without a doubt. And as parent I certainly understand that. And for me dealing with the parents -- relatives is one thing, but when you deal with a parent, that first several minutes of the phone call trying to calm them down and connect with them and as parent expressing their concern there, they understand.

OSIAS: Help kind of talk them down and get over their panic and get that information out of them. Very, very important work. Thank you so much. But you know, the payoff is amazing because there are those moments when they have the successes. And speaking of those successes, those recovered children, we want to show you the Brady family.

I mean, a lot of times, these families have been separated in the shelters and then just sort of lose one another. But this family -- Adrian (ph), Antonio and Taylor (ph) Brady all were found yesterday. This is a great story. The mother saw the photos on CNN and called to say that they were safe.

Of course, there is limited communication. A lot of cell phone towers are down in this area. And the grandmother was quite concerned -- the paternal grandmother about who and where everybody was. So it is a great service we're able to offer in concert with the center here to help that process, help facilitate it.

I want to show you another little boy. This is Roy Williams. He was found on September 12th. He was with his father and stepmother and separated from his father at the Houston Astrodome. Now this is really amazing, sort of talking to the power of television. A former journalist saw his picture on our air and they were reunited in New York.

I mean, these families and children are scattered really all over the country. So it is so critical that if anybody out there, the public can help, if they see somebody that sort of spurs something in their mind to actually call that number -- Betty.

NGUYEN: It is important. I know being down in Houston outside the Astrodome which you just mentioned, there are families still looking for their loved ones. And you talk about the sense of just being there and seeing them find their loved ones. There is no better joy than seeing a mother run up to you and say I found my baby. I found him.

OSIAS: Absolutely.

NGUYEN: And so great work there. And of course we're going to be checking in with you all day long. Thank you so much, Kimberly.

HARRIS: Little goose bumps. Goose bumps.

NGUYEN: Good work. Good work.

HARRIS: Yes. For more on how you can become involved, log onto CNN.com's help center. It contains links to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children as well as other links to help locate the missing. That's cnn.com/helpcenter. And just a bit later, Veronica De La Cruz tells us how you can best navigate the page so that you can help.

Could we learn a thing or two from the Dutch? The Netherlands, similar to New Orleans in geography, but different in how its protected. Straight ahead, their levee system and whether or not it could work here in the United States.

NGUYEN: And later, just how prepared are America's cities for disaster? Truly. We're going to explore this. Whether we're talking about terror, hurricanes or earthquakes, the discussion is unsettling at best.

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I'm Jacqui Jeras in the CNN Weather Center. The latest on Tropical Storm Ophelia pulling away from the U.S. coast but a new tropical depression has formed in the Atlantic. We'll let you know where when CNN LIVE SATURDAY MORNING continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: New Orleans is not the only city built below sea level. The Dutch cities of Rotterdam and Amsterdam are both threatened by the sea. In the 1950's they experienced massive flooding that killed hundreds of people. Since then, the Dutch have built an extensive and sophisticated levee system. CNN's Richard Quest visited Holland and looked at the amazing level of protection.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Flat, surrounded by water, and like New Orleans largely below sea level. Holland, part of the Netherlands lives with the threat of flooding from the North Sea. The country's equivalent of Katrina happened in 1953. A storm surge at high tide destroyed the dikes and killed more than 1800 people. Huib de Vriend was one of the children rescued, and is now an expert in flood prevention. HUIB DE VRIEND, PROFESSOR OF HYDRAULICS: After the 1953 flood we've said never again. But that's an absolute statement, of course, so we had to translate that into an acceptable level of safety.

QUEST: In Holland, that meant raising the flood probability to one in 10,000 years. By comparison, the New Orleans standard was one in 250 years. For the Dutch this new higher standard involved huge projects like building new dams across the rivers estuaries. Being prepared meant having control rooms waiting just in case. The latest project is a flood barrier system with swinging gates, towering 70 feet into the air.

(on camera): This structure is absolutely vast. But then it has to be because the idea is the two sides come out into the middle of the river, they sink to the bottom and only then will they be able to protect Rotterdam up there from the storm surge.

(voice-over): Professor De Vriend believes the Americans authorities will have to go back to the beginning.

DE VRIEND: Decide politically, what level of safety you would like to have. And derive the designed conditions belonging to that level of safety and then design a system -- flood defense system that meets those conditions. And that's the biggest key than building dikes around the city.

QUEST: The U.S. Gulf coast threat is very different from that faced by the North Sea. So what's worked in Holland may not be suitable for New Orleans.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Each Dutchmen believes that it is important to spend money on flood control. And I don't think that they did that very much in New Orleans.

QUEST: Everyone agrees that the principles remain the same. Richard Quest, CNN, along the Dutch coast.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: What does New Orleans need to do to protect itself? Gerry Galloway is with the University of Maryland and is an expert on flooding and levee systems. He joins us live from Washington. Gerry, good to see you.

GERRY GALLOWAY, UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND: Good morning.

HARRIS: Now you were there in Holland what? Two weeks ago?

GALLOWAY: A few more weeks before that.

HARRIS: Than that. OK, what did you see and what did you think of the levee system?

GALLOWAY: Well, I saw the barrier that we just saw and I certainly walked the levees and seen the program that they have. I think the professor really hit the nail on the head. You have to make a decision as to what level of protection you are going to provide your people. In the Netherlands there's a clear measure. It will not happened again. We will not have the big flood and we'll take those actions necessary to deal with that. We do not have a comprehensive flood policy in this country.

HARRIS: Well, why don't we?

GALLOWAY: Well, in 1936 when the Flood Control Act was passed that's given birth to many of these protection structures, it was go out and prevent the big flood. Over time economics has caused us to take a sharp pencil and pare back the amount we're willing to spend, where in reality the Dutch, the Japanese, the British are increasing their levels in face of climate change and increasing number of extreme events.

HARRIS: Did we try to protect New Orleans and the Gulf coast on the cheap?

GALLOWAY: Yes, that's what we did. We picked a Category 3 level of protection, the 250 to 300 year and yet we knew it would be more. And the answer was at the time that seemed economical. Now at the time they also considered some of the barriers like the ones just saw on some of the channels coming into New Orleans. There were a couple problems, environmental problems. People felt they might disrupt the natural environment of the region. And two, the cost connected with them. But I think those are going to be the things we have to go back and relook.

HARRIS: Gerry, $200 billion to rebuild. What would it have cost to have built a good system ahead of Katrina?

GALLOWAY: About $2.5 billion is the best estimate right now.

HARRIS: Two-and-a-half billion.

GALLOWAY: Quite a return on the investment when you look at the expenditures we have now and the costs do not include the social costs that we keep seeing day after day.

HARRIS: OK, moving forward in this sort of massive rebuilding effort, what kind of a system do we put in place now?

GALLOWAY: Well, I think it is a combination of larger levees. It will also require probably the storm barriers on some of the passages coming into New Orleans. The American engineers know how to do it. That's not an issue.

HARRIS: OK.

GALLOWAY: But they need the will of the government, they need the policy that says we're going to provide the best protection we can provide. Now, this is against coastal storms whereas they noted that's a one in 10,000 year storm. And the Dutch have that same thing. The Japanese have that same level of protection.

HARRIS: Hey, Gerry, once again, $200 billion is the number that's being kicked around to rebuild the Gulf coast. How much would it have cost to build a system to adequately protect against a Category 5 storm? Once again, what is that number?

GALLOWAY: Two-and-a-half billion.

HARRIS: Can't say it enough. Can't say it enough.

GALLOWAY: I agree with you.

HARRIS: Gerry, good to see you. Good to talk to you. Thank you, sir.

GALLOWAY: Thank you.

NGUYEN: Well, Jacqui Jeras has your weekend forecast. That is next. Plus, the animals left alone in the storm but not by choice. What's being done to help them? That's later.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: As get an update on weather with Jacqui Jeras, Jacqui, I have to ask you this. We're still talking about Katrina and Ophelia. Where are we in this hurricane season? Is it close to being over yet?

HARRIS: Fatigue.

JERAS: My producer in my ear just asked me that exact question. When is this over with? November 30th technically is the end of hurricane season. We're just past the hump. The peak day is September 10th. We're still in peak season but we're past the peak day so that's good news, right? We're more than halfway done at least.

But unfortunately the Atlantic still very active. We've got Ophelia still out there, it's still a tropical storm, but one good note. Look how fast this is buzzing along. This storm is moving at 21 miles an hour. It's moving so quickly you're hardly going to notice it today unless you are out there on Cape Cod or you're out there on Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard. You're seeing the gusty winds. Most of the rain came yesterday and it is pulling away, so that's some good news.

Unfortunately though, it is still heading for Nova Scotia and probably is going to be making landfall later on for today or tonight. And gusty winds are going to be felt there, 60 miles an hour possibly. So still very, very strong. And we'll show you the forecast track. There you see it moving quickly and really out of here by Sunday afternoon altogether. And the storm is already starting to show signs that it is becoming extra tropical but as of about 8:30 we have a new tropical depression.

This is TD number 17. It's couple hundred miles away from Barbados and it is likely going to be a tropical storm, some development expected here over the next couple days. And if so it would become Philippe (ph). The National Hurricane Center will start issuing advisories on this. Around the top of the hour we'll get a forecast track for you, but most of the models are bringing it up toward a northerly direction.

Still way too soon to tell whether or not this would be affecting the United States but when we start to see them this far south, it can get into the Caribbean basin, it can get into the Gulf of Mexico but, of course, it also could be curving up this way and heading for the east coast, so keep all of those things in mind. It's just something to watch at least for now.

Elsewhere here at home, pretty quiet today. We've got our cold front helping to kick Ophelia on out. We also have a storm system in the nation's midsection. Possibly severe here and pretty quiet across much of the west. So not a lot going on today across the lower 48. We have Ophelia pulling on out and a new TD. Back to you, guys.

HARRIS: Tell you what, Philippe better really think about it. We're getting sick and tired.

JERAS: Not going to take anymore of this.

HARRIS: We're not going to take it. Jacqui, thank you.

Well, we are talking a lot about failed response to Katrina so would the same thing happen if massive earthquake hit California? Is the state ready? How about the federal government? You might be surprised. We'll talk about that next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: And good morning, everyone, from the CNN Center in Atlanta. This is CNN SATURDAY MORNING. Welcome back. I'm Tony Harris.

NGUYEN: And I'm Betty Nguyen.

We want you to take a look at the left side of your screen because for the next two days you will see pictures of children who've been missing since Hurricane Katrina struck nearly three weeks ago.

HARRIS: And we are working with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to help bring Gulf Coast families back together. If you recognize any of the pictures that's a live picture right now of the center in Washington, D.C. If you recognize any of the pictures on the screen there, call the number you see right there on your screen, 1-800-843-5678. That number again. That's 1-800-THE- LOST.

NGUYEN: Here's what "Now in the News."

Under strict guidelines from New Orleans authorities, business owners in the French Quarter and the central and uptown districts have returned. They're assessing what's left of their livelihood this is morning. They are allowed to stay until 6:00 p.m. That is the curfew.

A 73-year-old grandmother charged with looting food is out of jail after 16 days. The family of Merlene Maten says the church deaconess was wrongly arrested for allegedly looting a New Orleans deli in the Katrina aftermath. Maten still faces the criminal charge.

Aides to Vice President Dick Cheney say he will undergo surgery next week to take care of an aneurysm that's been discovered in his right leg. Cheney's office says the 64-year-old VP chose to take care of the condition now so that it doesn't become a bigger problem later.

And two masterpieces stolen during a brazen holdup of a Swedish museum five years ago have been recovered. Rembrandt's "Self Portrait" was found Thursday in Denmark. Four suspects were arrested. And authorities recovered Renoir's "Young Parisian" earlier this year in Los Angeles. Both pieces together are worth more than $50 million.

HARRIS: In the wake of criticism from the hurricane response, President Bush vows that the country will be ready next time. But when that will that be and where? CNN Homeland Security Correspondent Jeanne Meserve looks at one scenario that's already being planned for.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice-over): It looks like a typical apartment building today but Pastor David Richardson remembers what it looked like immediately after the 1994 Northridge earthquake.

PASTOR DAVID RICHARDSON, QUAKE SURVIVOR: Each apartment was marked a deceased person and these fire men were in there about 18 inches crawling through the space to be able to get to the people.

MESERVE: Sixteen people died in this one building. Would Los Angeles fair better if another big quick hit today?

MAYOR ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA, LOS ANGELES: Every city around the nation should be looking at what happened with Hurricane Katrina and reassessing their own capabilities. I can tell you, though, that before we do, we're about as prepared as any big city in the nation.

MESERVE: Seismologist Lucy Jones says the region has come a long way but not far enough.

LUCY JONES, U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY: I'm not sure it's complacency, as much as a lack of imagination. It is going to be a different class of experience and a different scope than anything we've seen in this century.

MESERVE: A quick frame of reference, the Northridge quake which killed 72 and brought havoc in Los Angeles, had a magnitude of 6.7 but scientists say Southern California could see an event equivalent to 7.8 San Francisco earthquake that killed 3,000 in 1906. In densely populated Southern California, the loss of life and property could be massive because thousands of older buildings have been slow to comply with new earthquake resistant building codes, including some hospitals, schools and even the L.A. Police Department headquarters.

CHIEF WILLIAM BRATTON, LOS ANGELES POLICE: Believe me, since my office is on the sixth floor of that building, I'm very concerned about that potential also. MESERVE: Ninety-nine percent of the state-owned bridges and overpasses in California have been reinforced at a cost of $2.4 billion. Nonetheless, Jones predicts major damage and disruption (ph).

JONES: We know that everything that crosses the San Andreas, such as water lines, pipe lines, freeways, railways, are going to be offset 20 feet or more during that event and most of them will not be functional.

MESERVE: The mayor of Los Angeles admits his city will not be able to cope on its own.

VILLARAIGOSA: Clearly, without the federal government, cities, counties, and states are very limited. Even a state as big and as prepared as the state of California.

MESERVE: Citizens are urged to prepare themselves, but David Richardson, having seen the Northridge quake, is at a loss to figure out how.

RICHARDSON: I can't imagine that thing magnified 100 or 1,000 fold. You couldn't prepare for that.

MESERVE: Jeanne Meserve, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: So, when and if the big one hits, does California have its ducks in a row, ready to jump into action to save lives and property? Here to talk about that is Sheryl Tankersley with the Governor's Office of Emergency Services.

We want to welcome you to the show.

The first thing that I want to talk to you about is something that I read that was really kind of shocking to me. It says, according to scientists, that over the next 30 years the Bay area has a 60 percent chance of being hit by a major earthquake. That can cause a lot of damage. Is California prepared?

SHERYL TANKERSLEY, CALIFORNIA EMERGENCY SERVICES: We are confident that California is ready to respond to any emergency that may hit us. Now, that's not to say that we would be able to anticipate what might happen say on the level of what happened in the Gulf states. But we have emergency response plans in place that grow as the disaster grows.

And because of our level of experience in California with disasters with earthquakes, fires, floods and hazardous material spills, we've learned after every emergency and improved the system as a result.

NGUYEN: I have to ask you though, Sheryl, because New Orleans had disaster plans in place. There have been studies to talk about what a hurricane of a large magnitude would do to that city and yet we've seen the result. You say you have disaster plans in place, but let's talk specifics.

When the earthquake hit in 1906 and 1989, it was not just the earth rumbling, but it was also buildings that came down and fires that occurred after that. Are you ready for that kind of destruction? And have you stepped up some of your preparedness following what you've seen with Katrina?

TANKERSLEY: Well, over the last 15 years, we have made substantial changes as a result of the Loma Pria (ph) earthquake, the Northridge earthquake, the floods of the mid 90s, the fires in Oakland Hills. And because of these disasters, we have improved the system to where, with the standardized emergency management system, it has become a model for the nation, as National Incident Management System is being developed.

So we are confident that we can respond to any emergency. We will rely on the local governments, the cities, the counties, special districts to respond because they are the first ones on the scene. We are here to support them and to provide the resources they need. Because we are such a large state and because of our mutual aid system, our standardized emergency management system, we can provide a variety of resources very quickly to the scene of an emergency, as long (ph) with our partners and the federal government and other states.

NGUYEN: And as we look at what happened in Katrina, we've seen that many times when major disasters occur, families, people, residents in that particular area are going to be on their own possibly for days. So what are you telling the people of California?

TANKERSLEY: That's right. The emergency crews are going to be going to the areas that are most critically affected. So if somebody doesn't have water or doesn't have electricity, they need to be prepared to sustain themselves and sustain their families for at least three days.

We say a week is better as a result of what we've seen after Hurricane Katrina. Three days of food, water, medicines. And it's especially important to make sure you have plans for people that are vulnerable. The elderly, the people who have special medical needs, children, people who are disabled. Those are the most critically people who are in need during a major emergency.

NGUYEN: Absolutely. We've seen deaths, many deaths, of the elderly and folks who really just couldn't help themselves in situations like this. We thank you, Sheryl Tankersley, with the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services -- Tony.

HARRIS: Up next, hungry and helpless. Hundreds of animals still stranded in New Orleans. See what some rescuers are doing to try to save them. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Insurance can be one of the most important life lines for victims of a natural disaster. So why do so many victims of Hurricane Katrina say their insurance is leaving them high and dry? That's tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. Eastern on "CNN SUNDAY MORNING." We're going to get some answers from Louisiana State Insurance Commissioner. That's live on "CNN SUNDAY MORNING" at 9:00 a.m. Eastern.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: In case you are just joining us, here's a look at our top stories this Saturday morning.

Under strict guidelines from New Orleans authorities, business owners in the French Quarter and the Central and Uptown districts have returned. They're assessing what's left of their livelihoods this morning. They're allowed to stay until 6:00 p.m. There's a curfew in place.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez repeats his claim that the United States is planning to invade his country. Chavez scolded the Bush administration for the Iraq War before United Nations Summit on Thursday.

And it took a Wisconsin jury just three hours to convict a 36- year-old Asian immigrant for the shooting deaths of six deer hunters last winter. Chai Vang faces mandatory life in prison. He claimed he shot in self-defense after one hunter used racial slurs and another fired at him.

HARRIS: All weekend you will see pictures of children that have been displaced during Hurricane Katrina on the left side of your TV screen. CNN is dedicating its full resources to reuniting these children with their loved ones. Veronica De La Cruz joins us now with more on the help you can find at cnn.com.

Veronica, good morning.

VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

You know, Tony, it's been almost three weeks now since Katrina hit. And not only are hundreds of children missing, but adults are still missing too. So we've set up a help center at cnn.com. And here's how you find it.

You can log onto our Web site at cnn.com. Scroll down the right side of the page to the box marked "connect." Click on "help center."

And, Tony, there are tremendous resources in the help center. For example, if you click on the link "locate the missing" you'll find Web sites, phone numbers for organizations like the Red Cross, local hospitals and official Web sites for states located in the disaster zone.

And, Tony, like we've been saying all morning, CNN is partnering up with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Kids. So we provided a link that will take you to missingkids.com. That Web site provides the pictures you've been seeing of children in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi who are missing or have become separated from their families. Also at cnn.com, Tony, a safe list for those affected by Hurricane Katrina. If you would like your loved ones to know tat you are OK, fill out the form and send us an e-mail. Make sure you fill out one form for each person that you would like to mention is fine.

And, Tony, for all those people who want to help, cnn.com has a list of at least 100 different organizations, as well as ways that you can avoid being scammed.

HARRIS: Very good. Very good.

DE LA CRUZ: And that is all online again at cnn.com/helpcenter.

HARRIS: And folks are panicked. They're just trying to find their loved ones as best they can and this is a helpful tool to get them the information they need to make those connections. That's what we're trying to do. OK.

DE LA CRUZ: Right. Right. And cnn.com/helpcenter is the place.

HARRIS: All right, Veronica, thank you.

DE LA CRUZ: Of course.

NGUYEN: The Humane Society says as many as 50,000 pets were left behind in Hurricane Katrina but not every displaced animal was someone's pet. Alligators, deer and birds all called the New Orleans area home but their home has become contaminated with dangerous water, so now they roam the area looking for food and some experts fear that these animals, especially the alligators, will make their way closer to people. The situation is also growing more desperate for not so wild. CNN's Anderson Cooper has more. But we do want to give you a warning, some of what you see you may find disturbing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice-over): In New Orleans you stumble on heartbreaking scenes. This one in the garden district. A dog dead, decaying on the sidewalk. A scene Humane Society volunteer Lee Bergeron can't put into words.

LEE BERGERON, HUMANE SOCIETY VOLUNTEER: It's hard for me not to cry when I look at it.

COOPER: Cruising the streets for stranded pets, Lee finds two dogs hungry, exhaust, but for them it's not too late. He radios for help. This is exactly why he made the trip all of the way from San Diego to save animals lives. It's not always possible, however. In the next house, Lee finds dogs barking wildly inside, too scared to even show themselves. With no place to put dogs that come peacefully, there's nothing Lee can do but leave food and some water.

It's been like this for weeks now. The first days after Katrina we found dogs stranded in trees. Dogs on walls, pacing, surrounded by water. This is what helpless feels like. Motoring in a boat we found animals everywhere, adrift, abandoned by their owners alive or dead. There's so many dogs that you find that are just starving and you try to feed them as best you can but there's just too many of them roaming around. It's become a health hazard.

Since then, teams of animal rescuers from all over the country have waded into dirty, disease water trying to coax stranded pets into crates and on to boats. The Humane Society says the operation has led to rescue of some 5,000 abandoned animals.

Little Chip here is lucky. Cradled in the arms of an Army flight surgeon, rescued with his owner and air lifted to safety.

This Shih Tzu taking shelter at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge where some 1,000 rescued animals remains. New Orleans now struggles with the staggering numbers of animals rescued in shelters. How to house them, how to feed them, what to do with them. The Agriculture Department Animal Health Inspection Service says of the 5,000 animals rescued, fewer than 700 have been reunited with their owners.

For those animals that didn't make it to safety, left in houses without air conditioning, left roaming or chained, there's not a lot rescue workers can do for them now. They just leave them some food and some water, trying to alleviate a few moments suffering.

BERGERON: You know, two weeks without food and water a lot of these guys went. We're just trying to get as many of them fed as we can so we can buy time and rescue them later or maybe they'll open up the city and let the owners come back in to take care of their pets.

COOPER: Anderson Cooper, CNN, New Orleans.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Still to come, day-to-day survival. One Mississippi woman shows us just how hard Katrina has made it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: We may have some very good news to share with you. If you've been following us all morning long, you see the pictures on the left-hand portion of your screen there of children who are still missing. And we've been working and will all weekend long with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in Washington, D.C. to try to bring these families together again. Let's go to Kimberly Osias now in Washington. She's at the center.

And I believe, Kimberly, you've got some good news for us.

KIMBERLY OSIAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Great news, Tony.

I mean this is why we're here. This is why all of us are invested in this story and doing our small part to work together in concert with the center. Success story indeed. Just a few moments ago, little seven-year-old Tyrielle Guillot, who was in Louisiana, was found in Houston. Amazing story. Was separated with her grandmother, separated from her mother.

And the mother and grandmother really had no way of communicating, no way of speaking. So this has been a critical clearing house. The mother provided pictures just the other day to CNN. And just moments ago a new volunteer, Peggy Pitter, not new to this kind of work. In fact, she's retired with the New York Police Department and has been doing this for a long time. But what an amazing day to come in and in your first hour to get this success.

PEGGY PITTER, VOLUNTEER: It's a beautiful start to a week of volunteer work for the best center in the world. To put a mother and daughter back together again is turning (ph) into a big smile.

OSIAS: And that's why everybody is here. I mean you know I mean, you're a mother. You have seven children yourself. Talking to these mothers, talking to these grandmothers, how does your own experience being a mother play into things?

PITTER: It just makes me feel that my children, and hopefully my grandchildren, are never missing. But if they are, I'm confident a place like this can help us out at the right time.

OSIAS: And, I mean, I know that your husband is here as well. Also retired from ATF. It's a family affair for you guys, I mean, really. It's a calling, I mean, many would say often to be here.

PITTER: Oh, it's a great thing to get that call and to be asked to help in such an incident is the best part of life.

OSIAS: Thanks so much.

And that's why it's important for all of you to call because you can make a difference. Very, very, important. Exciting news. Hopefully we'll have more as the day continues -- Tony.

HARRIS: Wow. Kimberly, very good. Man. Thank you, Kimberly.

NGUYEN: That is great. We want hundreds more stories like that.

Well, the destruction left by Hurricane Katrina in Mississippi is, of course, enormous. Peoples lives are still turned upside down. But they are getting by the best way that they can. Some, though, in horrible conditions. Here's one woman's story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The water, if you look, it's right where it came. Right there where that line is. Before Camille there was only a foot of water in this house. Now look at it, seven foot of water.

I'm fixing to clean up. It's totally destroyed. This is the bedroom. This is where we're living at now. This is our home away from home.

My husband's got job. You know, he works. You know, I thank God for that. But still, you know, the day-to-day survival for some of these people are hard.

We have lost friends in this storm. We don't even know where they're at. We had a lady down the street here, she lost her life in drowning. Around the corner we had another gentleman that drowned. So if every day is survival.

It's just basically like in the olden days and stuff. You know, right now when our aunt and our grandmothers and stuff didn't have no electricity. This is how we've been surviving.

Keeping busy is the best thing. Because if you don't keep busy, then you'll start to think. And then that's when it really kind of sets in.

I lived in Florida all my life, so I know what hurricanes can do but I have never been through anything like this. Everything is ruined. Clothes. Books. Drawers. We're recovering and we're going to rebuild. We hope we can make it through the next day and what comes next. If we can make it through Katrina, we can make it through anything.

Underneath seven foot of water and it's starting to grow again. Hope.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: And you have to have hope in times like these.

HARRIS: Everybody's just got to hang in there.

NGUYEN: Yes. Absolutely.

Another hour of CNN SATURDAY MORNING starts right after this quick break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: And good morning, everyone, from the CNN Center in Atlanta. This is CNN SATURDAY MORNING, the 17th day of September. I'm Tony Harris.

NGUYEN: And I'm Betty Nguyen.

This weekend we are focusing on the missing children of Hurricane Katrina.

HARRIS: As you can see on the screen to your left, we are going to be putting the faces and names of hundreds of children who are missing or can't find their parents.

NGUYEN: We're also working with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. And we will bring you live shots, and updates from that center all weekend long. If you recognize any of the pictures or the names, please call the number on your screen, it's 1- 800-843-5678. This just in to CNN. Iran's new president says his country plans to move forward with its nuclear program. CNN's Chief International Correspondent Christiane Amanpour has just wrapped up an exclusive interview with the Iranian president at United Nations and joins us live from our New York bureau.

Christiane, what does he say about the international tug-of-war about his country's nuclear ambitions?

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INT'L CORRESPONDENT: This is interesting, it's his first interview ever since he was elected, and since Iran stopped their voluntary suspension of their fuel cycle and since this has provoked a crisis within the international community.

I asked him what he's going to do, because he is going to speak to the United Nations again this afternoon, and he says to outline proposals that are expected to diffuse this crisis. The U.S. and European diplomats will be watching very closely to see if, in fact, he can say anything that will reduce the crises.

But, to me, he said that Iran is determined to continue its nuclear fuel cycle and continue converting uranium gas and continuing potential enrichment. Listen to what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MAHMOLUD AHMADINEJAD, PRESIDENT, IRAN (through translator): You see, the specific proposal will be talked about this afternoon at the United Nations. The first point is stressing the right of the Islamic Republic of Iran to pursue and have the nuclear cycle.

Number two, the acceptance of all the points and agreements of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Number three, reserving such rights are for all countries.

Number four, the creation of a special committee that controls the proliferation of nuclear weaponry and the countries who have the means to carry such weaponry. And then the continuation of such talks in the framework of the International Atomic Energy Agency with other countries.

These are the points that we have considered on the basis of which we will put forth our proposal. We are against nuclear apartheid, which means some have the right to possess it, use the fuel, and then sell it to another country for 10 times its value. We're against that. We say clean energy is the right of all countries.

But also it is the duty and the responsibility of all countries, including ours, to set up frameworks to stop the proliferation of it.

AMANPOUR (on camera): You do have the right under international law. Is it enough for Iran to have a small laboratory, able to do research, and yet have an outside party deliver your fuel in order to diffuse people's suspicions. AHMADINEJAD (through translator): Why do others insist on having the fuel and selling it to us? I tell you, we will commit ourselves to -- right now, I give them commitment that we will sell it to them at 30 percent less than the prices that they're proposing. Is that fine?

AMANPOUR: You are determined?

AHMADINEJAD (through translator): We are determined. Certainly we are determined. Why should other people have it and sell it to us. We will make it and sell it to them.

AMANPOUR: Do you accept at all that the United States, Europe, they're deeply suspicious about your intentions. They just think that you want to build a bomb. Do you understand that? And why do you want to have this crises?

AHMADINEJAD (through translator): Yes, you see, we understand, we know that their intentions are bad intentions, their intentions towards us are bad. When have they ever shown, or have had clean, clear, pure intentions towards us. We don't have expectations for anything else coming from them.

What rights do they have when they want to talk about such issues to us, they need to proceed according to international laws. They cannot say that we don't like the intentions, what we think are the intentions of your country, therefore, we want to prevent you.

AMANPOUR: If you are referred to the Security Council, and if sanctions are imposed on Iran, will you take countermeasures? Already some of your officials have threatened to provoke a rise in oil prices, have potentially threatened to pull out of the NPT. What will you do if sanctions are imposed?

AHMADINEJAD (through translator): I think any intelligent, healthy, smart human being should use every resource in order to maintain his or her freedom and independence.

AMANPOUR: So you could see interfering with oil prices?

AHMADINEJAD (through translator): I doubt that the leaders of the United States and Europe are that far removed from reality. I think they're smarter than denying us this legal right. It is natural, of course, they'll use whatever they have in their hand, which is the U.N. Security Council, and our nation has the means to defend and obtain its own rights. Do not doubt that our people will not lose.

AMANPOUR: It sounds very aggressive, what you're saying it. Sounds like we're headed for real confrontation?

AHMADINEJAD (through translator): No. No, we have no such intentions. All we're saying is that we go according to all of the provisions, there are cameras set up here, you are the ones who are saying do not proceed according to what law is this being imposed on us? You'll have come, and you are putting -- you are interfering in our internal affairs against international laws. Who is at fault? Who is being aggressive?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

AMANPOUR: So the Iranian president laying out clearly, the fact that he does not see any way to do anything but to continue this nuclear fuel cycle. Clearly, diplomats are going to be listening very closely to the precise and detailed proposals he says he's going to outline at the U.N. this afternoon.

What it seems is they're talking -- the Iranians -- about modalities around having a fuel cycle. While the West, the United States and Europe, simply do not want Iran to have a nuclear fuel cycle because they're concerned that eventual nuclear program could lead to the development of nuclear weapons -- Betty.

NGUYEN: Christiane, let's shift for a moment. Did this president talk at all about his past, because when he was recently elected there were some allegation he may have taken part in the Iranian hostage crises. Did he speak to that at all?

AMANPOUR: Yes, I asked him specifically about that, given that it is a concern and several former hostages have insisted that he was an interrogator during that crisis. He denied it. He said that it's not true. He said that -- he even said that the picture was not me, that I didn't even have a beard back then.

And it's not clear at all whether the United States government has any concrete evidence that he was, in fact, a member of the hostage taking team back in 1979. And certainly other hostages -- or hostage takers, in Iran at that the time, who we've spoken to and asked was Ahmadinejad part of your team? They have said that they do not remember him being part of the team.

NGUYEN: Also, you know, the American public hasn't seen much of this new Iranian president. You got to sit down with him and speak with him. You saw just a little bit of that a while ago, but give us a sense who the man is, his demeanor?

AMANPOUR: I would say nationalist, populist, determined. Many people are concerned that this is a conservative hard-liner who was elected. They had expected his opponent, Hashimi Rafsanjani (ph) to be elected.

And he had said that it was time to integrate with the rest of the world. It was time, perhaps to seek to rebuild broken bridges with the United States. Ahmadinejad did not say that at all, in fact when I asked him, is it time to see if you can overcome now, you know, more than two decades of enmity with the United States? He declined to answer in the affirmative. He declined to answer positively about that.

He basically said, I was elected. The people know who I am, and I'm going to continue my programs. Again, he said, I'm convinced that we can survive sanctions and have our nuclear program intact. So, it does seem that he is very determined to continue the nuclear program. NGUYEN: Chief International Correspondent Christiane Amanpour, we thank you for that exclusive interview. Thanks, Christiane -- Tony.

HARRIS: More than 2,000 children are reported missing or displaced in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. CNN and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children are working all weekend to reunite children and their families.

One way we're doing that is showing the children's photos now through Sunday evening. Let's get an update from CNN's Kimberly Osias, she's at the center's headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia.

Good morning, Kimberly.

OSIAS: Hey, Tony and Betty. I tell you, it is really exciting. I mean, just now, one woman right here to my right has a located tip, they really then chase down these leads and make sure they are legitimate. And these children, of course, have been reunited.

But we've talked about that awful, sick feeling when you are separated from a parent, or the parents' worst nightmare, to lose the child even just for a minute. But converse to that is the sheer joy of being reunited and finding a child.

And that's what this is all about. It's exhilarating. Just a couple minutes ago, Peggy Pitter here, she is one of the many volunteers who is tirelessly working, volunteering their time, who used to be with the New York Police Department, actually helped facilitate a reunion of little seven-year-old Tyrielle Guillot.

Just in your first hour of volunteering, what a call to get, Peggy?

PITTER: I was thrilled by the end of the call to know that this was going to happen.

OSIAS: To think, I mean, I guess, she was in Houston, and I guess, the mother is in Louisiana and gave some pictures to CNN. We put the pictures up on the air, and actually helped facilitate, working as a clearing house and working in concert here with the center.

This reunion, and you were able to get them all on a conference call, and eventually they will have the happy reunion.

PITTER: It's going to happen and the grandmother was thrilled because the little girl saw her picture on the TV. Not that she was happy to see her own self, but she knew the picture had to come from her mom. So she knew her mom was safe.

OSIAS: Oh, that's a really neat -- I mean, really amazing story. The power of being able to have television work together. That's just amazing. And the public working in concert as well.

And so you have seven children, I know, of your own. PITTER: That's right.

OSIAS: And so you know what that feeling is like?

PITTER: I can't imagine living this long without knowing the answer. This poor woman must have had a horrible existence until today.

OSIAS: You guys came from New York, you and your husband both.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: From Vero Beach, Florida.

OSIAS: Oh, Vero Beach, Florida. I'm sorry.

So, you obviously felt compelled to be here. And why do you do? Why are you putting in the time?

PITTER: We've been working with Project Alert for many years, it's just a follow through with law enforcement that brings about a special feeling, getting children safe again.

OSAIS: And hopefully we'll have more of those. Hopefully you will, too. You're off to a good start.

PITTER: Can't wait to do it again.

OSIAS: Thanks, so much.

PITTER: Thank you, Kim.

OSIAS: I want to just show you some folks that are still out there, still missing. If we can. Let's take a look. I want to introduce you to Christie Kennedy. Little Christie Kennedy and Kaitlin Hall. A lot of times these families get separated even within the shelter. I mean, there's still a bit of disorganization as they move from shelter to shelter on the ground.

Little Christie Kennedy, seven years old, was missing from Pearl, Mississippi. A distinguishing feature on little Christie, is she's got a scar under her left eye. Brown hair, blue eyes, adorable. And look at her little sister, also darling, Kaitlin Hall, light brown hair, black eyes, also from Pearl, Mississippi. Last believed to have been seen with Casey Cooper, their mother.

So, of course, it's not just Louisiana, it's Mississippi, and Alabama as well. Really, these children and parents scattered all over the country. Just a couple days ago when I was here, there was a tip, a call that came in from California. Everywhere, it's unprecedented.

Let me introduce you also to two little girls from Alabama. Oftentimes there are not that many pictures. I mean, there are hundreds and hundreds of names. But in Alabama these are the two that we know of right now, Jasmine and Jayda Valencia. Little Jasmine, five years old, brown hair, brown eyes. And you can tell, I mean, the photo is a bit blurry, because oftentimes these folks were leaving in such a rush, they just have what was on their person. It certainly complicates the efforts here for the case workers and they are limited with what they have. And I'm so excited, the phones are going, which is great news. It's music really to all of our ears.

And little Jayda Valencia, brown hair, brown eyes, missing from Mobile, Alabama. If any of these pictures sort of jar your memory, as to where these children can be, these case workers will take down that information and then follow up on the leads to make sure they're legitimate. And hopefully get some folks on the ground to help make those reunions possible.

HARRIS: Oh, boy, that's good stuff. Kimberly, thank you so much. Man, oh, man. Here is how you can help. Log onto your computer, then go to cnn.com/helpcenter. That page contains links to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, and other links to help people locate the missing. It also includes a link to a list of names of people wanting to let others know that people are safe. People are talking about building anew -- New Orleans.

NGUYEN: They sure are. This is not the first time a major American city has risen from the ashes of a major disaster. We'll explain.

HARRIS: Also the storm has literally downed parts of Louisiana's legal system, does it mean criminal suspects go free? We'll ask an expert. Plus ...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tell the truth. The truth is that you all don't want these people here, and you are trying to run them off. That's what this is about.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Chief, I'm a minority and you discriminate! You discriminate!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: Tempers flare and frustration builds after the flood. We will continue this argument a little later in the newscast.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: This just in to CNN: Take a look at live pictures provided to us from our affiliate in Chicago WLS. My goodness, firefighters on the scene. People in stretchers, EMS personnel as well. You're looking at the scene of a train derailment. Dozens of ambulances and we understand a Life-Flight Helicopter -- there it, is on the scene of a train derailment on the city's south side.

The south side of Chicago, a police spokeswoman says the incident took place near 47th Street, if you know this area, and Wentworth Avenue, at about 8:36 -- I'm guessing -- Central Time. A number of trains are involved here, there you see the Life- Flight helicopter. But, Betty, just a short time ago, we had a wider shot of the actual train tracks themselves. We saw a number of trains, my guess was four or five trains that derailed in the accident.

We don't know the particulars of the derailment, what caused it, and we don't know at this point the extent of the injuries. Let's see what pictures we get as the camera in the helicopter pans over. You see the emergency personnel on the scene, and you see the firefighters and folks on stretchers carried away. Again, we don't know the extent of the injuries. We can tell you that this is all connected to a train derailment.

This is on the south side of Chicago, pictures provided to us from WLS, our affiliate there. We'll continue to follow the story and get an update and bring it to you as quickly as we can.

NGUYEN: In the meantime, the New Orleans business community is slowly stirring back to life. Bar, restaurant and shop owners had begun returning to assessed damage and to begin the cleanup. CNN's Mary Snow is in New Orleans with more on the tentative revival of commerce. Are they headed back in already, Mary?

SNOW: They are, Betty. We're in the Uptown District. This is built on higher ground, therefore the damage was less severe than other parts of New Orleans. One of a few areas, designated areas, where business owners could come and see firsthand the damage.

Damage like this, this one small shop, where the window was totally shattered. Now on a typical Saturday this street would be like any other in an American town, bustling with coffee shops going, supermarkets, stores. Instead, residents are startled to see members of the 82nd Airborne Division patrolling the streets, it's been very quiet.

But we are seeing something we haven't seen in quite some time. Cars coming through, and utility trucks, we are seeing signs of life.

Now, these business owners are being allowed in today to see the damage first hand. However, there is no electricity and no water. Two other areas that are allowing business owners to come; the Central Business District and also the French Quarter, famous for its night life. Also key to tourism in the city of New Orleans.

And as you go around the streets, today we spotted something that is a sign of life before the hurricane. We see the Mardi Gras beads.

Residents we've been running into today say that they are resilient and strong. They're looking forward to having another Mardi Gras this year. I ran into one former Marine who came to inspect his business. I asked him how it felt to come back and see all of this. He choked up a little bit and said this morning he prayed he wouldn't cry as he came back. But people are very determined to get things moving again -- Betty? NGUYEN: Yes, people are resilient and they are determined. And, of course, it's going to be emotional and we'll keep watching. Thank you, Mary Snow.

HARRIS: Parts of the city are still under water and so are some legal documents. Will the justice system prevail?

NGUYEN: And Tropical Storm Ophelia just will not go away. Where is it headed now? We'll have a live weather update ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Breaking News.

HARRIS: And we are following breaking news out of Chicago. Looks like another Life-Flight helicopter coming into the scene of a train derailment. This is in Chicago, live pictures provided for us by our affiliate in Chicago, WLS.

A train derailment on the city's south side. We can tell you dozens of ambulances, literally a parade of ambulances are on the scene. At least one Life-Flight helicopter, maybe that was the Life- Flight helicopter we saw just a moment ago, taking off.

There are firefighters on the scene, people on stretchers, EMS personnel are working with folks who are obviously injured. We don't know the extent of the injuries, we don't know how many cars are involved. Looks to be at least four, maybe five cars involved in the derailment.

There is that picture I was just telling you about a moment ago, of literally this long parade of ambulances on the scene there to treat the injured. And, again, don't know how many cars are involved. Don't know what the cause of the collision was, what brought it about.

But we can tell you we have seen a number of people being taken away in the ambulance, don't know how many are injured, the extent of the injuries. We will continue to follow this developing story out of Chicago. A train derailment on the city's south side at 47th Street and Wentworth Avenue. We believe it happened at about 8:36 Central Time this morning. We will continue to update the story and bring you the latest information.

NGUYEN: In other news, many people are focusing on rebuilding New Orleans, others say don't rush things. Well, instead they want to you take the time to learn some valuable lessons from rebuilt cities such as Chicago. Donald Miller is a professor of history at La Fayette College and he joins us from New York to talk about this.

Donald, as the nation looks to rebuild New Orleans, what historical perspective can Chicago give?

DONALD MILLER, PROF. HISTORY, LAFAYETTE COLLEGE: Well, the Chicago fire was the greatest natural disaster in American history up to that time. It is a city of about, at the time, 300,000 people. And the fire, one and a half day holocaust cut a four mile swath right through a corridor of destruction right through the city.

And 100,000 people, one third of the city is homeless, 17,000 buildings destroyed. Shanty towns containing the poor immigrants, the Irish immigrants, completely obliterated outside the city. So, it was a calamity fully on the scale of the Katrina disaster.

NGUYEN: There are parallels that you can see here, too. This is another city like New Orleans, which had to be built from the ground up. What kind of obstacles did people face at that time that you think many folks will be facing when New Orleans is rebuilt?

MILLER: Well, when Chicago was built, it was built as if to invite its own destruction, like New Orleans, it constantly fought a battle with nature. And in this case, it was built on a lake plain, right at lake level, and it had tremendous water problems. And they created pollution problems, which created disease problems, cholera and typhoid. And the whole city had to be raised 12 feet into the air, and they had to reverse the Chicago River.

And they did this even before the Great Fire, but it didn't learn a lesson from that. And it suffered that second calamity, the fire, because it was built entirely of wood, in an area known for raging prairie fires. So when that fire fiend hit Chicago, it simply hit kindling, miles and miles of kindling. Wooden streets, wooden houses, even the roof the pumping station that was going to protect Chicago was made of wood.

The fire department was inadequate. There were constant warnings before the fire about other prairie fires in the area. Chicago itself suffered a tremendous fire the night before the great fire.

NGUYEN: So is the key here, don't rebuild too fast? Make sure that you do it right?

MILLER: Yes. In fact, after the fire, Chicago got back on the ground quickly, as the ground was hot, they were rebuilding. And they rebuilt the entire city, literally, in a matter of a year and a half. But it was built exactly as it had been before. It was a city, again, susceptible to fire.

What happened is what I think is going to happen in New Orleans, the insurance companies really get heavily involved with this. And they started -- Chicago had been built very shoddily, they started to demand the buildings of the future be built with excellent fire proof protection. Chicago wanted to build skyscrapers, the insurance companies said no. We're not going allow to you do that, unless you provide the most modern fireproofing equipment.

That's pretty much what happened there. So, there was literally a second Chicago built inside the first city that was rebuilt. And that city, by 1890, is the fourth largest city in the world. The most modern city in the world, the most up to date, electronically, technologically, and probably the safest city against fire in the world.

NGUYEN: Well, many people hope that New Orleans will be rebuilt much better than it ever was. We thank you for your time, Donald Miller, with Lafayette College.

MILLER: Thank you very much.

NGUYEN: Tony.

HARRIS: And rebuilding after the devastation, at what cost? We have a live report coming up.

NGUYEN: Plus, legal records under water, evidence destroyed, the justice system faces a long road ahead. Will it be able to overcome the hurdles?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANNOUNCER; This is CNN breaking news.

HARRIS: And we are continuing to follow the latest developments out of Chicago, the site of a train derailment. This is a Metra commuter train that derailed this morning on Chicago's South Side. Dozens, literally dozens of emergency vehicles, a life-flight helicopter on the scene of a derailment.

Again a Metra commuter train derailed this morning about 8:36, we believe, Central Time. Witnesses say at least five cars were involved in this. Firefighters, people on stretchers, EMS personnel on the scene. The extent of the injuries we don't know at this point. How many cars involved, we believe about five.

And the latest information -- this is new -- emergency service workers removed at least a dozen people from the train on stretchers. We don't know which particular train, but at least a dozen people have been removed, and we know a number of them have been placed into ambulances and moved to local hospitals for care.

Once again, this is a live shot, pictures provided by WLS, our affiliate in Chicago, of a train derailment, a commuter train, the Metra system in Chicago, a train derailment on Chicago's south side, a number of injuries. The extent of the injuries, at this point in time, we don't know. At least four, maybe five, cars involved. We will continue to follow the latest developments and bring you more information as we get it.

Welcome back, everyone, to CNN SATURDAY MORNING. We are focusing on the missing children of Hurricane Katrina this morning. And as you can see on the screen to your left, we are going to be putting the faces and names of hundreds of children who are missing or can't find their parents on the screen.

NGUYEN: We're also working with the National Center for Missing and Exploited children, and we will bring you live shots and updates from that center all weekend long. But if you recognize any of the pictures on the screen, or at least some of the names, because some parents didn't have pictures to provide, so all we have is just a name and an age -- please call the number on your screen if you recognize any of them. That number is 1-800-843-5678. HARRIS: And let's get you caught up now with headlines now in the news. The death toll is climbing end the weekend -- this weekend -- the week's wave of deadly attacks in Iraq. A suicide bombing killed an Iraqi soldier and wounded four others at an Iraqi army checkpoint in Baquba, north of Baghdad, 13 civilians also were wounded in that attack. In Baghdad, authorities have found nine unidentified bodies in their neighborhoods. The victims, all men, were shot to death, execution-style.

In Afghanistan, a potential disaster is averted. Coalition troops and Afghan forces have arrested 20 militants accused of plotting to blow up a massive dam. Officials say the suspects were apprehended earlier today as they were laying explosives at the dam in southern Afghanistan. Thousands of people lived near that dam. The arrests come one day before Afghanistan holds parliamentary and provincial elections.

Vice President Dick Cheney is getting prepared to undergo surgery. He's having an aneurysm removed next weekend. It's in an artery behind Cheney's right knee. The surgery, described as elective, will be done under local anesthesia, and it will require a short hospital stay. The vice president has a long history of health problems, including four heart attacks.

NGUYEN: Well, the road to recovery along the Gulf Coast will be long and costly, no doubt. It is expected to swell the national debt by $200 billion or more. But President Bush is ruling out tax hikes to pay for the massive effort. So where's the money coming from?

Well, let's check in now with CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux. And Suzanne, if you can answer that question, you are doing better than most.

(LAUGHTER)

MALVEAUX: I think most people can't answer that question yet, but President Bush insists that it's not about raising taxes. He says he wants to keep those tax cuts permanent because he believes, ultimately, that will bolster the economy, the president laying out his plan earlier this week, as well as today in his radio address.

He talks about these kind of "Gulf opportunity zones" or "GO zones," those, of course,, tax incentives for small businesses. He also lays out a plan, a Homesteading Act, to provide free land for low-income families to try to rebuild on that federal land. And he talks about these "recovery accounts," up to $5,000 to help in education funds, child care and things of that nature.

But you're absolutely correct. There's a debate over just how to spend that and how to support that. President Bush today in his radio address gave some more details to make his case.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

BUSH: Our goal is to get people out of shelters by the middle of October, so we're providing direct assistance to evacuees that will allow them to rent apartments. And we're beginning to bring in mobile homes and trailers for temporary use in affected areas. We'll also help provide housing for the many workers who will rebuild cities in the region so that reconstruction can move forward quickly.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Now, the White House economic adviser, Al Hubbard, says that he believes, of course, taxpayers are going to be paying for these recovery efforts, and it means that the federal deficit essentially is going to balloon perhaps as much as by $200 billion. Democrats are calling for either tax hikes or, they say, perhaps let's cut even some of the pork projects that have already been funded by the federal government.

But Democrats this morning seem to be at least trying to strike a conciliatory tone with the White House, with the president, the Democratic response to President Bush's radio address given by Louisiana governor Kathleen Blanco, Blanco extending an olive branch this morning.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

GOV. KATHLEEN BLANCO (D), LOUISIANA: I want to take this opportunity to thank President George W. Bush. He has recognized that Katrina was no ordinary hurricane and that our federal government will have to help us in extraordinary ways. We are prepared to work as partners.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Now, President Bush says that in order to support this big recovery plan that there will be sacrifices that have to be made, some cuts in some federal programs. While the White House refused to say where that's actually going to go, should be noted that the 2006 federal budget, we are looking at least 12 of the 23 government agencies that already will be cut.

NGUYEN: Suzanne Malveaux, thank you for that.

Tempers flare as residents wait and hope for a place to live. Will their frustrations be eased?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Here's an update on our breaking news out of Chicago that we've been telling you about this morning. Dozens of emergency personnel, as you can see right here, are on the scene of a derailment. This is a Metra commuter train in Chicago, on the city's South Side, that has derailed. If you're familiar with the area, it's near the 47th Street and Wentworth Avenue area.

And as we have been told and been watching all morning long, we have seen so many people on stretchers. Well, we have learned as of right now, at least a dozen people have been removed from this derailment on stretchers. There is also a life-flight helicopter that was there, taking people with immediate needs to nearby hospitals. Don't know yet how many total have been injured in this derailment or exactly what caused the derailment. But in looking at these pictures, you can see that this Metra commuter train has derailed off the tracks in Chicago, on the city's South Side.

Of course, we'll be following all of this. We understand there are about five cars involved in this. Stay with CNN. We'll have the latest.

HARRIS: Hurricane Katrina has played havoc with the legal system in New Orleans. The 5th circuit court of appeals moved to Houston. Thousands of criminal and business cases are in limbo, and attorneys are scarce. CNN's Kelli Arena has more on what has become a legal mess.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): There is finally law and order in New Orleans, but justice could take a while. Along with much of the city, many important legal records are under water.

PETE ADAMS, LOUISIANA DISTRICT ATTORNEYS ASSN.: In Orleans, there's major flood damage to the courthouse and the first floor of the DA's office. They were able to get back in and begin assessing damage within the last couple of days.

ARENA: Property deeds, divorce settlements, criminal case files -- some may be gone forever. Even evidence from crime scenes may have been destroyed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Forensic specialists are being brought into determine what can be recovered. That will take some period of time.

ARENA: Nearly 9,000 prisoners were evacuated, but some of their records couldn't be retrieved. Initially, authorities didn't know if they were dealing with murders or traffic violators.

ART RODERICK, U.S. MARSHALS SERVICE: It takes some time because prisoners, being what they are, switch armbands, change IDs, and then we have to physically go out and identify them either by fingerprints or by photograph.

ARENA: Legally, anyone who has been arrested needs to go before a judge within 72 hours. Bail must be set. And some prisoners have done their time and need to be released. In all the confusion, that hasn't always happened, although it's starting to. Adding to the mayhem, nearly half of Louisiana's lawyers were themselves victims of the disaster.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Approximately 8,000 have been displaced from the New Orleans and surrounding area, and we're trying to identify, among those inmates, where their lawyers are, how many people need lawyers appointed who don't have them.

ARENA: Louisiana's legal community has been working in overdrive to get the system back on track. The attorney general touches base daily with a variety of principals, including representatives from the bar association and the supreme court.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... find out whether there is a legal way for us to reconstitute those courts in another parish.

ARENA: State prison officials set up a makeshift jail at a Greyhound bus station.

BURL CAIN, JAIL WARDEN: This is the only jail in this whole area.

ARENA: And judges are conducting some court business inside state prisons, where inmates are temporarily being housed outside of New Orleans. But the one problem that no amount hard work will solve is a lack of money. Many of Louisiana's inmates are indigent, and the state pays their legal fees.

WALTER SANCHEZ, LOUISIANA INDIGENT DEFENSE ASST. BOARD: Our system in Louisiana before Katrina was underfunded by $30 million to $40 million. We had excessive caseloads, undersupported attorneys. They didn't have the support and resources they needed to do an effective job.

ARENA: Now the city is even worse off. Most of the money used to defend the poor came from traffic and parking tickets, and it'll be a long time before those provide any revenue in New Orleans. Kelli Arena, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: And Betty, here with more on the legal limbo in New Orleans is law professor and civil rights attorney Avery Friedman. Avery, good morning.

AVERY FRIEDMAN, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY: Hey, Tony, Betty. Nice to see both of you.

NGUYEN: Good morning.

HARRIS: Good to see you. And you're in Cleveland this morning?

FRIEDMAN: I am.

HARRIS: OK. Good to talk to you. Criminal cases. Let's start with the criminal cases. All right, you're arrested, you get an opportunity to have a speedy trial. Now, in New Orleans, what does that mean, with flood waters still in 40 percent of the city?

FRIEDMAN: Well, you have the right to a speedy trial, Tony. The fact is that this is both a constitutional mandate and a statutory mandate. So the difficulty is that there are individuals right now in New Orleans who have committed crimes, and because the system cannot accommodate those constitutional rights, are going to be set free. So -- and that deals with any crime, whether it's traffic or drugs or even murder. So the system itself, Tony, right now, is facing a crisis, and the community actually suffers until the system gets back in place.

HARRIS: Well, we also know that not everyone who is arrested is guilty.

FRIEDMAN: Right.

HARRIS: What about the innocent people who are caught up in all of this?

FRIEDMAN: Well, that's exactly right because they are no different. If you are charged with a crime, innocent or guilty, you have certain constitutional rights. And you have a right to a speedy trial. You have a right to counsel. You have a right to do certain discovery, getting the evidence from the prosecutor. And think about this, also. The files that contain much of the evidence...

HARRIS: The evidence!

FRIEDMAN: ... in many cases, they're gone. They're under water. So right now, there is, objectively speaking...

HARRIS: Yes.

FRIEDMAN: ... chaos in the legal system in New Orleans.

HARRIS: OK. Civil cases. You know, civil cases come with all kinds of timelines, deadlines. What happens with those cases?

FRIEDMAN: Well, there's a huge debate about that question. The governor, Governor Blanco...

HARRIS: Yes.

FRIEDMAN: ... has extend statutes of limitations. But you know what? I don't think she's allowed to do that. In my judgment, it must be the legislature in Baton Rouge...

HARRIS: Oh, OK.

FRIEDMAN: ... that extends statutes of limitations. So if there's insurance fraud or sexual harassment or racial discrimination in the civil arena, unless the legislature extends those deadlines, those cases are gone.

HARRIS: There he is, Avery Friedman, from Cleveland. See you next week here in Atlanta?

FRIEDMAN: I'll see you real soon.

HARRIS: OK, Avery.

FRIEDMAN: Take care.

HARRIS: Good to talk to you.

NGUYEN: Tony, it's the storm that never seemed to go away, first pounding the North Carolina coast and now heading toward New England. We'll have a live weather update on Ophelia in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

NGUYEN: Here's an update on our breaking news story involving this train derailment in Chicago. We have learned from the Associated Press that one person is dead as a result of this derailment. We have also learned that the train was carrying about 100 people at the time -- 15 ambulances, a life-flight helicopter all on the scene, as you can see, many medical personnel still working this scene.

Commuters have also talked to the media, explaining exactly what happened before the derailment. One of the commuters says, "I went flying into the safety seatbar, fell on the ground. We were skidding out of control, weaving back and forth. People were weeping and screaming."

Now, just to tell you a little bit about this area, there is a 40-foot gap between two rail cars, so it shows the extent of this derailment. You're looking right now at the life-flight helicopters on the ground. We understand that at least a dozen people have been taken by stretcher to nearby ambulances, obviously getting some medical attention.

But again, this train derailment happened in Chicago's South Side, on an elevated track near 47th and Wentworth. One person, according to the Associated Press, is dead as a result of this derailment, and at least a dozen people have been removed on stretchers.

Of course, we're going to continue following this story and bring you the latest just as soon as we get it.

HARRIS: Yes. Well, some residents outside New Orleans insist they're being forgotten, left to languish in their hurricane-damaged homes with no help from FEMA. Their plight is causing a lot of friction between police and local officials. That story now from CNN's Jason Carroll.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Kenner, Louisiana, a city of about 70,000 in the devastated area of Jefferson parish. On Friday, an argument caught on tape between the city's police chief and city's manager symbolized the frustration and anger from a community in need of help.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You talking about the meals? Where's the housing for these people? That's what you supposed to be providing, the meals...

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All you're doing is making a political scene!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I'm not making a political scene.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm making a scene for the starvation of these people!

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do something about it, then, Chief!

CARROLL: A fight over food and housing complicated by race.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tell the truth! The truth is that you don't want these people here and you're trying to run them off! That's what this is really about!

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Chief, guess what? I'm a minority. And you...

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You discriminate! You discriminate!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're a rich minority, not like the rest these people!

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you're a minority, come and live with these people!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Every day...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And you have not provided...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Every day, the city government...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You talk (ph) about how much you care about these people, and you don't give them anything ...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Look, Chief...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As a matter of fact, you got 500 families displaced, and you all are happy with the 500 families that have been displaced. Otherwise, you would have done like you've done for your minorities and put these people in gymnasiums where they have air- conditioning!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We don't have any shelters...

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You don't have any shelters? What are those buildings? CARROLL: Carla Lopez is tired of the bickering. She lives at the Redwood Apartments, where the argument took place. Some call it a city within a city. Most of the 400 residents are now homeless, but they're forced to stay at the badly damaged apartments because they have nowhere else to go. Lopez speaks for the large number of Hispanics here who say they're being ignored.

CARLA LOPEZ, KENNER RESIDENT: But we need a house.

CARROLL (on camera): You need a house. Now, FEMA came here once, right?

LOPEZ: Yes, once.

CARROLL: And what did they say?

LOPEZ: But nothing, nothing. Just about five minutes. He's coming back, but I don't know when.

CARROLL: So they said they'd come back and...

LOPEZ: Come back. Yes.

CARROLL: Did they come back?

LOPEZ: No. No come back.

CARROLL: No.

LOPEZ: No.

CARROLL: They haven't come back?

LOPEZ: No, haven't come back.

CARROLL: So what are you doing?

LOPEZ: We're just waiting.

CARROLL (voice-over): Miguel Ramos (ph) says FEMA maybe trying but needs to do much more.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We, as a little community here, as people here, we should have...

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

NGUYEN: Want to give you an update right now on this breaking news out of Chicago, where a train derailment occurred. One person has died as a result of it.

On the phone, we have Tom Miller with Metra train system. Mr. Miller, first of all, tell us exactly what happened here. TOM MILLER, SPOKESMAN, METRA TRAINS: An inbound train from Joliet, Illinois, derailed near 47th Street in Chicago. It's unclear at this time as to what caused this derailment. We'll be doing an investigation. Obviously, the NTSB will be involved to determine what may have caused this incident.

There were between 75 and 100 people on board the train. There were injuries. I don't have the exact number in front of me. There are unconfirmed reports -- or a report of at least one fatality. I stress unconfirmed. Things like that can change, and I don't want to, you know -- you know, go ahead and confirm that, but...

NGUYEN: Well, Mr. Miller, we have spoken with the Cook County medical examiner's office, which has confirmed at least one person is dead in this Metra train derailment. Obviously, we are looking at pictures. This is a very active scene. Many firefighters and medical personnel are on the scene. What is the biggest complication right now in getting the injured to the help that they need, or is there a complication?

MILLER: Well, the response has been terrific in terms of the number of emergency medical personnel who have gone to the scene. And that's the biggest concern in a situation like this, and they've just been great in terms of getting the passengers the assistance they need. And they have been transported, the injured, to nearby hospitals.

NGUYEN: Yes, we are watching that occur as we speak. Tom Miller with Metra train systems. Mr. Miller, I'm going to ask you to stand by because, of course, we have many more questions to ask you. But for the moment, I need you to you stand by for just a second as we wrap up this show and begin another one. Do stay with us, though.

And of course, we do want to thank you for watching CNN this morning. Of course, we're going to continue this coverage.

HARRIS: Yes, of the train derailment in Chicago, the South Side of Chicago. We'll continue our coverage of the breaking news with Fredricka Whitfield on the other side of the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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