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CNN Live Sunday

Hurricane Michelle Moves Closer to Florida

Aired November 04, 2001 - 18:17   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.
DONNA KELLEY, CNN ANCHOR: The island of Cuba bracing for a brutal attack from hurricane Michelle. Category four storm has hit Cuba's southern coast. People there preparing for a night of powerful wings and heave rains. Sustained winds were at about 135 miles per hour. We will check that with our meteorologist, of course.

The were stocking up on food and water and plywood and tape. They had a heavy run on there. Our Lucia Newman, who is our Havana bureau chief, reported to us earlier that they were trying to bring in the tobacco crop for their cigars that make there and the banana crop, so they are very busy and trying to ride out that storm now, too.

Joining us, of course, with more on where the powerful storm is headed, Jon Zarella, he is Hollywood Beach, Florida. And we are starting here in Atlanta with our meteorologist, Jacqui Jeras -- Jackie.

JACQUI JERAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Donna, the rain really coming down across Cuba. Now 10 to 20 inches expected in the path of hurricane Michelle. We saw the pictures where all the flooding was. And this is going to be a major problem with this storm.

Now the rain already coming down heavy in the Florida keys. Key West reporting almost two inches of rainfall. So far, lesser amounts the farther north you get. But this is the latest radar picture here. You can see it looping around. The heaviest bands of rain still far to the south of the Keys but you can see, this is pushing up to the north, and we are looking at the potential of maybe 3 to 6 inches of rainfall in the next 24 hours for the Florida Keys and southern parts of the peninsula.

Now we do have hurricane warnings in effect for the Keys. We have tropical storm warnings in effect for the southern parts on the west and the east coast. Of course the hurricane warning in effect for western Cuba and also in effect for the Bahamas because they are going to be next in the line of fire as this hurricane pushes up to the north and to the east.

Here are your statistics on hurricane Michelle. I want to point out that in relation to the Florida Keys it's about 160 miles away and tropical storm force winds extend out more than 200 miles from the center, so those winds already starting to pick up quite a bit.

We have a report of 50 miles per hour at Key West and we could see some gusts beyond that as we head through the rest of the night. It will be moving over Cuba through tonight and heading up to the north and east. We'll have more for you throughout the evening. Donna, back to you.

KELLEY: Thanks very much, Jacqui.

We want to now join Jon Zarella in Hollywood Beach, Florida where they are preparing for the worst. John, you look like you are blowing around a little bit more than the last couple of times we talked to you.

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it certainly has deteriorated a little bit more in the last hour, in just an hour again, this stinging rain blowing in and the wind blowing in and even at its closest approach sometime tomorrow morning hurricane Michelle is still expected though the strongest winds to be well offshore of us, although we could get tropical storm force winds.

I want to tell you, there is one place I wouldn't want to be today, and that is on a cruise ship. But about an hour and a half ago or so, we did get some shots of a cruise ship that was heading out into the wind, leaving Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale. It has got to be a nasty ride going out tonight.

Now, of course, here in this area in Broward County, things have been bad enough without this hurricane. They have had a tremendous amount of beach erosion during the past week or so just from on shore winds. Some places lost 40 to 60 yards of beach. That is going to continue into the next couple of days and certainly as Michelle makes its closest approach here to the southeast Florida coast.

Of course the Keys getting hit right now. The situation is still considered very serious down there because any jog to the left or the north would bring the hurricane force winds pretty close to the Keys. And testament to that is that they evacuated about 10 people in Marathon from Fisherman's Hospital there, special needs patients, put them on a U.S. Air Force C-130 and got them out just in case. Brought them up into central Florida.

So again, here, serious concerns over beach erosion. Considered a very serious problem. And schools in Dade County have been canceled for tomorrow and only workers, city and county workers who are really needed, are being told to report to work tomorrow. So the situation not being taken lightly. Again, because just any jog to the left could mean that hurricane force winds would get very close to Florida, although that is not, right now, in the forecast.

This is John Zarella reporting live from Hollywood Beach. Back to you, Donna.

KELLEY: All right, John, thanks very much. Stay safe.

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