Radioactive Water Spilling into Ocean
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: In Japan, one reactor overheating and the radioactive iodine spilling into the sea. I'm Kiran Chetry. As attempts to remove radioactive water continue at the Fukushima plant, the crisis there is being felt 6,500 miles away, here at home.</s>ALI VELSHI, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Ali Velshi. Air strikes clearing a path for the rebels in Libya. They're now back in control of some very important oil ports as Gadhafi's forces get blasted back toward Tripoli.</s>CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Christine Romans. A deadly bacteria is popping up in hospitals and nursing homes in southern California. Antibiotics are no match for this superbug and there's no cure. Now cases are being reported in other states, too, on this AMERICAN MORNING. Welcome. Glad you're with us on this Monday. It is March 28th. We're right in the heart of March Madness now. I mean, the weather -- the weather, all the stuff going on internationally, but also basketball.</s>VELSHI: And it feels like a Monday but it's good to be here with you guys.</s>CHETRY: Great to see both of you.</s>VELSHI: Still a brisk, cold morning in New York. We'll get the nation's weather very shortly. But, first, I want to show -- speaking of weather and nature. We have some new footage surfacing on YouTube of the sheer destructive force of that tsunami that hit Japan. Take a look at this. Look at all of those cars -- some of the most graphic video yet. Look at the pictures. They were taken on March 11th, that was the day of the tsunami, in the city of Kesennuma in Japan.</s>VELSHI: Kesennuma isn't there anymore. The entire city was washed away by the tsunami's waves in 10 minutes. Right now, the temperature is rising inside reactor number one at the Daiichi power station. Engineers will attempt to cool it and stop further radiation from being released by increasing the flow of fresh water being pumped into the reactor core. That is all being planned for tomorrow when officials hope to switch over to a permanent power generator for the unit's cooling system.</s>CHETRY: And at first, they denied it, but now nuclear safety officials in Japan admit radioactive water is spilling from the Daiichi power plant directly into the ocean. Radiation levels also in the water are measuring as high as 1,800 times above normal. Our Martin Savidge is live in Tokyo this morning. So, in addition, to those readings, we're also hearing the contamination in the sea is spreading. Help us put this into perspective. How big of a concern is this right now?</s>MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's a very big concern, Kiran, no doubt about it. Because it means that the radioactive water that is on the site is somehow getting off the site. The real mystery right now for officials at TEPCO, those are the operators of that nuclear facility, they say they don't know what the source of it is. Let me back up a little bit. They found levels of radiation in water pooling in one aspect of one area of the basement, really, of reactor number two. Levels of radiation of that water, 100,000 times what they should be in that area. OK. That's inside the building. Now, today, they decided to check some water levels outside the building, specifically tunnels that are used to run electric cable. They opened those tunnels. They were shocked to find how much water was in there. When they tested the level of radiation, they found the water there to be extremely radioactive. Is it possible then that the water has been pouring out of the plant, going into the ocean through those electric cable tunnels? They are about the size that a person could crawl through. The company says they really don't think so because there's no evidence that it overflowed from those tunnels. But the truth is Kiran, the water is getting into the ocean somehow, some way. The mystery is they just can't seem to know how.</s>CHETRY: And, you know -- I mean, and you're right. It's a frightening mystery, as they -- obviously, things continue to change on a daily basis there. But the highly contaminated water is causing big problems at the damaged nuclear plant as well. Update us on that situation.</s>SAVIDGE: Well, here's the problem -- because of the fact that they are now cope with this latest crisis, all the water, what to do with it, they want to pump it out of the places it's not supposed to be. But they don't have anyplace to put the water. They had two large vessels on site that they thought they could pump out the excess water and put it into these tanks. When they opened those tanks, they found out those tanks are almost full. So, they have a lot of radioactive water. They want to pump it out of basements. They want to pump it out of tunnels. But right now, they have no place on the facility in which to put it. And it's not like you can just directly pour it into a barge and sail it away. You have to keep it on site -- Kiran.</s>CHETRY: Exactly. All right. Martin Savidge for us this morning from Tokyo -- thanks so much. Meantime, it is 6,500 miles from Fukushima, Japan, to Massachusetts. But that's how far radioactive fallout from the Daiichi plant has traveled. They are quick to point out it's very low levels of iodine 131, but it's been detected in the rain water in Massachusetts. State health officials are insisting there's no cause for concern.</s>JOHN AUERBACH, COMMISSIONER, MASSACHUSETTS DEPT. OF PUBLIC HEALTH: We want to make clear that there is no health impact. None of the cities and towns rely on rainwater as their primary source of water. So, that is why we are so comfortable in saying that the drinking water supplies throughout the state are completely safe.</s>CHETRY: Well, repeated tests on the state's drinking water are planned over the next several days as a precaution.</s>ROMANS: To the war in Libya where the rebels are making a comeback -- thanks to sheer coalition firepower. The relentless bombing campaign led by the U.S. has turned the tide for the opposition. This weekend, they pushed west, retaking the critical oil terminals in Ras Lanuf and in the city of Brega. And for the first time, airstrikes have repeatedly targeted Gadhafi's hometown of Sirte. In a few minutes, Nic Robertson will join us live from Tripoli. With NATO taking over and with the rebels closing in on a Gadhafi stronghold, what is the next move in this war?</s>VELSHI: Libya is not the only hot spot this morning. Syria is bracing for more violent protests after a bloody weekend. Witnesses say security forces opened fire on a crowd, wounding several people in the city of Latakia over the weekend. This after 24 people were reportedly killed during protests in the country. Syria's President, Bashar al-Assad is expected to address the nation within the next couple of days. Protesters in Yemen are pelting a big screen with their shoes as it was showing President Ali Abdullah Saleh. That's the ultimate insult in the Arab world. Saleh says he's ready to step down. But now, al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula may be seeing an opportunity. Officials said seven Yemeni soldiers and three al Qaeda members were killed in an attack at a military checkpoint.</s>CHETRY: Well, skiers triggered an avalanche this weekend in Utah. And officials warn the danger is not over yet. This one happened at Horseshoe Mountain on Saturday morning where officials say that three of the skiers triggered the avalanche accidentally, of course, after digging around in the snow to test for an avalanche. So, that cascading snow trapped the group. One was completely buried. Search and rescue teams were able to pull all of them to safety and they are expected to be just fine. But we've seen it end in far more tragic ways. They got lucky.</s>ROMANS: Right. It must have been terrifying. They probably know the risks. They knew what they were doing trying to test for it. Wow.</s>VELSHI: And the one guy got completely buried. And you got -- I mean, they are trained. They knew that this could happen but that feeling, you know?</s>ROMANS: All right. Reynolds Wolf is in the extreme weather center. Hey, Reynolds. How are you?</s>REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Doing great, guys. You know, you guys just left off with the story about the heavy snowfall or the avalanches out west. More snow in store for today. Some places up to a foot possible before the day is out. And also, heavy rain in parts of the Southeast, which is going to trigger some flood warnings. Not only that, but also severe thunderstorm watch now in effect for parts of south central Florida. In fact, as we zoom a bit, you can see it extends all the way from about Cape Coral over to West Palm Beach and points north right along parts of 75 and even 95, expect the heavy rain to continue through at least midday. The reason why we're seeing it there, plain and simple -- we got area of low pressure that is still just along parts of the Florida panhandle. The storms are going to continue for a good part of the day. Also into the Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, perhaps even some light snowfall back in parts of, say, I'd say definitely into the Appalachians. The highest elevations especially, and into the Ohio Valley, Northern Plains going to get in on the snow action. But into the Central Plains, we might see some strong storms there also later on into the afternoon. Something else, these high temperatures will greet you by afternoon -- 68 degrees in Dallas, 38 degrees in Chicago, 56 in Denver, 60 in San Francisco, 48 in Washington, D.C. All right, guys. You're up-to-speed. Let's pitch it right back to you in New York City.</s>ROMANS: All right. Thanks, Reynolds.</s>WOLF: OK, guys.</s>ROMANS: Forty-eight in D.C., I mean, cherry blossom time, right around the corner. Pretty soon, they're going to pop. All right.</s>VELSHI: Former -- speaking of Washington -- former White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs back on the market. That job market, we're talking about. "The New York Times" reports that Facebook wants Gibbs to manage its communications department. They're still in early talks and no formal offer has been made. But Facebook officials say they are prepared to pay top dollar for Gibbs. The social empire is valued at about $60 billion. Gibbs, as you know, left the White House in February after two years on the job.</s>ROMANS: And he only has to know how to answer one question. What are you doing about America's privacy concerns? What are you doing about America's private concerns? What are you doing about America's private concerns?</s>VELSHI: If that company goes public, of course, it will become a little more complicated.</s>ROMANS: That's right.</s>VELSHI: Good choice. He seems to do well under fire.</s>CHETRY: Yes, pretty cool. Well, a Cinderella story again this year.</s>VELSHI: Oh, wait a second. You're going to talk about basketball, right?</s>CHETRY: Yes. Why? Are you going to go to sleep now?</s>VELSHI: No, you tell the story very well.</s>CHETRY: I know it's always exciting when the tournament is not predictable and hasn't been for a while. But, yes, the Virginia Commonwealth University crashing the Final Four this year, I guess you could say. Not a single number one seed survived the weekend.</s>VELSHI: Wow.</s>CHETRY: So, we're breaking down the Final Four, still ahead.</s>ROMANS: And a little later, states in crisis. Budget cuts at elementary school could have a deep impact once kids hit college. We'll tell you about budget cuts at that level as well. It's eight minutes past the hour.