Harvey Pummels Texas, Brings Catastrophic Flood
GEORGE HOWELL, CNN ANCHOR: Midnight here on the U.S. East Coast. Welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. We're following the breaking news this hour here on CNN -- a desperate situation playing out in the U.S. state of Texas. I'm George Howell.</s>ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Rosemary Church. Tropical storm Harvey is slamming the state with catastrophic flooding as torrential rain continues to barrel along down the coast.</s>HOWELL: Just consider what the U.S. National Weather Service is saying about this storm. Look at these images. You get a sense they say it is beyond anything experienced before. That's their quote. And they warn that the worst that may be yet to come. At this point more than 300,000 people are without power and outages are expected for several days. Now, to the city of Rockport, Texas. Look at this video. You get a sense of exactly what happened when this storm barreled through the destruction where Harvey struck as a Category 4 hurricane on Friday night and we understand that one person was killed in that town.</s>CHURCH: And another person was killed in the city of Houston after being swept away by floodwaters. Cars can be seen submerged in many roads simply impassable at this point. Commercial flights in and out of Houston's two main airports have been halted. Now meanwhile, frantic search and rescue operations are under way as the deadly floodwaters continue to rise. Around 3,000 national guard members have been activated to help with the rescue efforts. And CNN meteorologist Derek Van Dam joins us now from Houston, Texas where it is just after 11:00 p.m. Central time. Derek -- you've had to move to higher ground as you've been reporting on the flooding and the search and rescue efforts under way. More than a thousand rescues carried out in Houston so far and they continue into the night as this rain keeps falling. How difficult has it been for authorities to perform rescues in the dark?</s>DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Rosemary -- we actually joined the Precinct One officers on a search and rescue mission about three hours ago. And that was right at some of the height of some of the most extreme rain that Tropical Storm Harvey has produced. And it was very challenging. We had to dodge obstacles, full size SUVs. We have water actually over those vehicles and when we are on the search and rescue boat we had to navigate around that. We had to navigate around trees, road signs, traffic lights. That just gives you a sense on how flooded this Brays bayou is in the southwestern corridor of the Houston's city proper. And this area had an extensive amount of rain as we all know but these feeder bands that have come through have made conditions that much more challenging. Rescue operations tonight are going to be very difficult and they, speaking to some of the constables there they are in it for the long haul. They have already done over 100 rescues today alone. You are probably watching some of the video that we shot earlier. Those are the gentlemen that are so courageous and so brave going door-to-door, in fact receiving text messages from individuals saying, please, we are desperate. We need your help. We've got children. We've got medical conditions. We cannot leave our house. The water is rising quickly. Please come and rescue us. And that was really what this evening is all about trying to get to those people who are still left stranded within their houses -- Rosemary.</s>CHURCH: Derek Van Dam, thank you so much. Those rescues, of course, the heroes of the hour and the day and probably in the days ahead. Many thinks to you for your reporting on the ground.</s>HOWELL: And when you think about it, there are so many people that were in the path of this storm, so many rescues, Rosie, that are happening as we speak. Hundreds of people hoping to get help, many stranded in their homes. And in parts of Houston, flooding was so bad. Workers used boats to get residents to safety. And look, there are even residents of those communities who use their own boats to help other residents to get those who needed help.</s>CHURCH: Yes. And the Red Cross estimates that 1,800 people stayed in shelters across Texas on Saturday night. A number of rescue teams have been flown in to help with the disaster and helicopters have been rescuing stranded people around the clock.</s>HOWELL: So when you consider the fact that there are millions of people affected, some in dire need, officials say many of the emergency calls they are receiving, those calls are going unanswered. Operators are forced to prioritize life-threatening calls and they are struggling to keep up with those. One reporter is describing the situation earlier when he saw people on a rooftop who needed help.</s>CHURCH: Extraordinarily risky situation there, unbelievable. And our CNN teams have been on the ground all over southern Texas covering search and rescue missions and speaking to residents while maneuvering through a flooded neighborhood. Our Ed Lavandera became part of a dramatic rescue after finding a family trapped inside their home.</s>HOWELL: The video there just tells you the story. Just look. Ed did what you would expect anyone to do -- stepping in to help even while he was on live TV. And at one point he even asked the camera person just to turn away for a moment out of respect for the family that they were helping at the time. Everyone got on board. Everyone was safe. And Ed interviewed one of the women rescued. Listen.</s>ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We were about to leave the neighborhood. We heard your voice.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. Thank God because we've been waiting on the Coast Guard. Been waiting on somebody else and (inaudible) calling -- anyway.</s>LAVANDERA: How long have you guys been trapped in there?</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All night.</s>LAVANDERA: All night? You've been with your parents? How are they holding up?</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Pretty good. Pretty good. I think pretty good for the circumstances. (inaudible)</s>LAVANDERA: You guys have been stuck upstairs all day?</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And all night, yes.</s>LAVANDERA: We did a couple of passes down the street here. We didn't even know you were in the house.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. Well, I heard the boat but I thought the Coast Guard or someone would rescue us. But then we found out that my sons were coming on a jet ski. Then they had -- they got stopped -- so by a bridge. Anyway, they got stopped. So I figured --</s>LAVANDERA: What was it like in this neighborhood through the night?</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It just -- it just creeped out, really -- it was shocking, you know. It came in through the garage and that's it. And I was shocked.</s>LAVANDERA: What time is that?</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think around 1:00 or 2:00. 2:30 -- it was really torn in. And I think it's three feet or more inside the house.</s>LAVANDERA: I've heard from a lot of people here and said that they didn't expect this neighborhood to flood.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No. My parents were in the hundred year flood and I can't remember what year that was. But no, we didn't think it was going to flood. I had friends -- we would have went to my house. We didn't know it was going to flood. And they plus they did road work.</s>LAVANDERA: And you've been trying to get people to pull you out all day long?</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. My daughters have been calling. And of course, my cell phone --</s>LAVANDERA: Where are your daughters?</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The big city.</s>LAVANDERA: Hopefully they're able to watch this and they know you're --</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.</s>LAVANDERA: -- you guys are safe.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. Well, I'm going to call one of them to pick me up -- us up.</s>LAVANDERA: What was it like in the dark last night --</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No. No. We had lights all the time. Dad's got a generator.</s>LAVANDERA: You never lost power?</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Never.</s>LAVANDERA: Unbelievable.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We had the air conditioner all night. They have a generator. I guess that's what it was.</s>LAVANDERA: Were you worried that you -- we're getting pretty close to night fall here, were you worried that you weren't going to be able to be pulled out in time before dark?</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. We were just starting to because we found out there wasn't a rescue. And then we heard the Coast Guard could take a couple days. We didn't know.</s>LAVANDERA: How are you feeling now?</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Happy. Very happy. Very happy. Very blessed.</s>LAVANDERA: Sorry you got stuck on the boat with the CNN crew here.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, I'm glad. Shoot. We're glad. We're very happy.</s>LAVANDERA: What do you do now? Where are you going to be able to stay tonight?</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think we're going to my house in Friends Wood (ph), hopefully.</s>LAVANDERA: You have someone picking you up when you get back out to the highway?</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, one of my daughters.</s>LAVANDERA: Have you heard -- what has it been like in this neighborhood throughout the day? I mean I can see boats crisscrossing all the time.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just boats and jet skis. I don't know of anything else really. I've been up there helping my parents.</s>LAVANDERA: Has to be surreal to see your neighborhood like this.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is. It is shocking. But it is surreal. Yes.</s>LAVANDERA: Have you been able to talk to any of your neighbors at all?</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No. No -- helping mom and dad.</s>LAVANDERA: So they're going to be ok?</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. I think so. Dad -- yes.</s>LAVANDERA: They did a great job jumping into the boat, especially your mom.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's good.</s>LAVANDERA: She did great. Good for her.</s>HOWELL: Just thankful that they are safe. But there are so many more who need help.</s>CHURCH: Yes, incredible. We're watching all of these rescue efforts play out. I want to bring in CNN meteorologist Karen Maginnis for more on what we can expect from the storm. So Karen -- the big concern right now of course is that the rain keeps coming. And that's going to make rescue efforts even more difficult than they already are as well as, of course, adding to the damage on the ground. So when might this rain end, do you think?</s>KAREN MAGINNIS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Well, our worst fears are coming true -- Rosemary and George -- because it looks like our tropical system is going to now move back out over the Gulf of Mexico. So we've got days more worth of rain fall and people who are looking at this report right now, watching us here, on CNN, and CNN International are hoping that the rain will end sooner than later unfortunately, at least until the middle of the work week and maybe not until the end of the work week. All right. Here is Google Earth -- want to show you this. This is the coastline of Texas. Right here is Houston. Right up here is Dallas. All those blue areas -- those are the bayous, those are the streams, those are the rivers and creeks. And running right through downtown Houston is Buffalo Bayou. South of that is Briars Bayou. A little bit closer view -- there you can see, here is the problem. We've got all these rivers and streams. They've filled up with 10, 20, 25 inches of rainfall so far with rain continuing and there's no place for it to go. But not just in Houston. We go all the way down towards Trinity Bay and numbers of areas, of neighborhoods there have been inundated; but not just there -- Katy, Pasadena, Sugarland. Speaking of -- take a look at this video -- it's in black and white. We were watching this as it was taking place live. There was a man -- not sure exactly where he was but it was in and around Houston. His car was stuck in floodwaters, and not just floodwaters up to the top of the tire. But it was up to the windshield. And this man was standing behind his vehicle, waiting. He was not moving. The water is rushing. We forget about that. This isn't just standing water with no motion. There has a current to it. Then this little rescue boat came through and rescued that gentleman. I just saw one gentleman. Like I said, I'm not exactly sure where that took place. But it was nonetheless illustrative of what has been taking place across Houston and all of the suburbs surrounding Houston. All right. What is Tropical Storm Harvey doing right now? Hanging in there -- doesn't look all that good. But that is very deceptive. The southern edge of this system, really kind of washed out but all of that deep tropical moisture is further to the north. And Harvey is going to move out in the gulf. Start to make its way back more towards the north and -- George and Rosemary, now it looks like it shifts a lot of that moisture, a little bit further over to Louisiana. So that's the next spot that we watch. But we're not finished with Houston yet.</s>CHURCH: That is a big concern. Karen Maginnis -- thank you so much for keeping an eye on that. Rain until midweek possibly to the end of the week.</s>HOWELL: I know a lot of people are not happy to hear that but that is the case. And obviously officials will have to do their best given the situation. Look, there are all kinds of groups that are on the ground. They're doing their best to get to people who need help. One of those groups is called Team Rubicon. It's a group of military veterans who step up to help during emergency efforts. And Dennis Clancey is the deputy director of field operations. Dennis, live on the phone with us this hour from Dallas, Texas. Dennis -- it's good to have you with us. First of all, let's talk about, you know, what are you hearing from your teams there in Houston? Their work trying to rescue people given the fact that the rain has not stopped -- you just heard from our meteorologist just a moments ago about the situation at hand. And in some places there, Dennis, the water is still rising.</s>DENNIS CLANCEY, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF FIELD OPERATIONS, TEAM RUBICON: No, in fact it is. It is expected to still through tomorrow continue to rise. So yes, we have to be, one, very careful with our own volunteers to make sure we don't become victims of the disaster itself. So we have to make sure we are plugging in, in a way that does not exhaust the system.</s>CHURCH: And Dennis -- talk to us about just how dangerous these waters are. Because of course, we look at this it is difficult for people to wade through it. What are the problems that people are confronting there?</s>CLANCEY: Yes. I think you know for so many people the uncertainty with regard to how big this can potentially get. And so now that is why the focus in the area is around getting boats in to rescue people. We are deploying boats in the morning to the Houston area. There was a request that came out from two counties in Texas because they are a bit overwhelmed with requests to get people out of those areas.</s>HOWELL: Dennis -- talk to us about what you're doing with the people that you rescue. Your teams when they get to them. Where are they being taken for shelter? We know for instance there where you are, in Dallas, that city has opened its mega shelter there at the convention center downtown for evacuees. But in the Houston area, the metro sections of that region -- what are people doing once they get out of their homes and they walk safely now? Yes. It really has to remain a fluid operation. So as shelters go up, we will obviously continue to move further and further from Houston. The ideal case is to make sure people are far enough away that they aren't secondarily affected but, yes, just it continues to move through the rest of Texas where we have to open shelters just to make sure we have capacity for everyone.</s>HOWELL: You know, this is affecting a lot of people. Texas is my home so I have a lot of friends and family that are there. And everyone in some form or fashion that I know has been affected by this flooding. And here's the thing, we look at these images -- Dennis. There are so many people who are still trapped in their homes. And that's the terrifying thing about this right now.</s>CHURCH: The difficult part of all of this.</s>HOWELL: Dennis, thank you so much for being with us. Still ahead here on NEWSROOM, much more on the catastrophic flooding taking place in Texas. We will speak with the man stuck in his neighborhood -- a person who took a lot of images as well.</s>CHURCH: Plus a heartbreaking image of some of the most vulnerable people affected by this devastating storm -- the story behind these senior citizens waiting to be rescued in waist-deep water there. We're back in just a moment.</s>HOWELL: And one football player raised more than $200,000 in two hours for flood victims. We will hear him describe how people are responding to the devastation. Stay with us.