Journal and Project

News Report 2 Transcript

VNN ANCHOR

Good evening, welcome back to VNN -- Hurricane Hanna made landfall this morning as a Category 5 storm, making a direct hit on the metropolitan area. The city has been hit hard by sustained 160 mph winds and over 20 inches of rain have fallen in the past 24 hours. Hanna’s storm surge was over 18 feet and it broke through seawalls and flooded neighborhoods. The storm has moved North of us now, and search and rescue operations are underway. We’ve heard reports of victims trapped in collapsed buildings, and others stranded by floodwaters. Utility companies meanwhile are reporting that over a million customers are without power, and utility crews are fighting to restore at least temporary power to critical facilities. The state is also working with federal officials and private companies on restoring communications, transportation, water, and other critical infrastructure.

The Governor reported from the emergency operations center a few minutes ago that the state is struggling to clear roads and bypasses so residents can get to shelters and safe areas. The region’s mass transit system is calling on private transportation companies for backup. Police departments throughout the region are working to maintain order and protect property. Meanwhile with so many homes and buildings damaged, the Governor is identifying additional temporary shelter and housing, the state is working with FEMA, the Red Cross and other federal agencies to create temporary shelters. Since the evacuation was ordered three days ago, many residents have been staying in hotels and motels. The area’s hospitals are overwhelmed, they’re taking in large numbers of victims, but they’re also trying to shore up their own facilities which in many cases have been damaged and flooded. The hospitals say they need more critical medical supplies, they need help evacuating patients from damaged facilities, and, as a grim sign of the scope of this disaster, they even need help with mortuary services and victim identification.