A HURRICANE CALLED BETSY

on our way say again Gemini 5 I'm stage two you lost hips on stage two the air was fair at Cape Kennedy Lacy clouds in a warm August sky as geminy 5 took off for space where there is no weather at all the only problem a leaky fuel cell threatening to cut their flight short at the start it didn't but out in the Atlantic something else was brewing a rising breath of wind soon to be known as Betsy [Music] Dawn August 27th at Florida and Island bases Navy weather bureau and Air Force planes are warming up to their daily task 180 Mi overhead G 5 is whirling around the world in its sixth day of orbit the astronauts are still alone in space but not quite alone from the first day on they've been sharing the sky with tyros weather satellites circling endlessly clicking their pictures back to [Music] Earth and at mid morning on the 27th both tyros 10 and a Navy weather plane make a discovery tropical depression at 13° north latitude 54 the astronauts see it next same day uh do you have any sort of a report over that tropical depression that's Sor we passed right over it is a rather large storm with uh heavy cumulous activity we could see uh air to ground lightning even in the daytime it does have an eye that's the name of that's Betsy in case you haven't been told about it A hurricane's born and Christen Betsy and in two places the new spells trouble the National Hurricane Center in Miami where Chief forecaster Gordon Dunn is checking first reports and Houston control for the space flight scheduled to splash down Sunday right in the path of the storm first victim of Betsy geminy 5 its 8-day flight is cut one orbit short the landing area is changed Cooper and Conrad splash down safely into a sunny [Music] sea for a week Betsy wanders North toward the Bahamas in Nassau American tourists are pouring off the Yarmouth Castle on a final fling sightseeing souvenirs shopping and in the native churches only a few bother to give thanks that another hurricanes passed them by as Betsy swings by safely to the east heading North toward Cape hatus Florida relaxes too the start of Labor Day weekend a time for sea and sun [Music] but for the weather bureau and the hurricane Hunters it's no holiday at all in 10 days now bets's already traveled 2,000 mil past Barbados and the Grenadines the Winward and leward Islands skirting Cuba Puerto Rico the Bahamas Now 300 M North she runs into Westerly Trade Winds does a lazy loop the loop then stalls probable course still north and west toward hatus New Jersey or New England but bad news wherever it hits by now it's packing 125 mph winds swirling around an enormous eye suddenly on Sunday night Betsy runs headon into a high pressure Ridge turns into a Yankee hurricane traveling south and coming fast back toward the the Bahamas Monday night the wall cloud rips over the out islands and into Nassau grinding and tearing at the town for nearly 15 hours then it turns toward the mainland hurricane flags are flying now from Key West to Cape Kennedy lcon 3 effective beginning 0700 hours this morning lcon 3 effective in Miami the county civil defense Emergency Operating Center designed to direct government services in either natural disaster or enemy attack all forces have been on emergency alert since early Labor Day morning small craft warning winds may reach hurricane force and squalls by early Tuesday evening all vessels in the area of hurricane display should seek safe Hara for the first time in local history weather bureau warns that ke bcan and Miami Beach will be underwater residents are advis to get out now all groceries hardware stores and lumber yards now closed for the holiday are urgently requested to reopen so the public can lay in food and emergency supplies if you're boarding up be sure to use strong Lumber and nail securely check trees and Shrubbery remove coconuts from nearby palm [Music] trees along the Gold Coast Hotel swimming pools are suddenly deserted as advanced winds begin to come in but on the beaches youngsters are finding the best surfing since hurricane Carol Fair Winds for the skateboard Sailors too not so good for last minute Choppers [Music] by Nightfall winds have turned to driving rains and at Miami International Airport normally one of the busiest in the world the last bird of Passage has flown workers are still tying down traffic lights making other last minute preparations all storm shelters repeat all storm shelters are now open if you feel that your home is insecure then go to your nearest Red Cross emergency shelter gale force winds are striking now from Palm Beach to the tip of the keys in the six counties of Southern Florida more than 18,000 people are crowded into the Red Cross shelters just waiting for it to [Music] happen Betsy is here gusts now topping 100 mph Tides 3 ft above normal in the Greater Miami area and Escape Routes will be cut off shortly unidentified female reported electrocuted by a fallen power line Rescue Squad to 1721 Northwest 17th Place family now reports water swirling around the Bale in the luxury hotels along Miami Beach water's already pouring over the welcome Ms our mobile unit is just reported fish swimming down Collins Avenue Fish and eel swimming right down the main drag of Miami be conservation 85 to Marathon could you advise if State Road 5 is passible to Island marada South of the KE Argo area last report I have is the road is washed out in two places a long night for civil defense now all the dull quiet things done over the years the preh hurricane drills the planning and preparation for any kind of disaster the coordinated efforts of all the government and voluntary agencies are finally paying off4 Norwest 8 2 Street roof blown off a house there are injuries some hotels on beach badly damaged some 3 de several houses Betsy with her hurricane winds is on the Florida Mainland she is also on kilargo at dawn the eye of the hurricane crosses kilargo heading [Music] West Hurricane winds will continue for hours and so will calls for help flooding in the arv parkway area you need some amphibious Ducks right are there any injuries involved only evacuation angulate to Southwest Fifth Avenue and third four families [Music] marooned as Betsy Blows By Florida she leaves her mark behind damage around 140 million several dead 4,000 homes wrecked or flooded out plus smaller [Music] losses on Riviera Beach a bigger whale's been grounded a foreign freighter driving in blindly through the night the Yarmouth Castle's been a little luckier the Bahamas cruise ship has ridden out the storm at sea and put back safely into Miami next morning chill sail another day the hurricane Roars on still hunting for land and 900 M of Coastline ahead to choose from all the way to Texas where the astronauts are safely home but beginning to wonder if they're being followed but early Wednesday morning hurricane Betsy is taking a more northwesterly turn and is now heading directly for the Louisiana coast the weather Bureau New Orleans weather bureau picks it up now and warnings go out from civil defense in the state capital at Baton Rouge hour near the sping coastal areas should be evacuated early today before Escape Routes are cut off by Rising Waters offshore oil rigs are abandoned ships head into Port cars come streaming up from the Delta a quarter of a million refugees many of them heading for New Orleans for New Orleans itself there's literally no place to go it's surrounded by river lake and swamp land so the town boards up and battens down in the shelter of its levies already its civil defense Emergency Operating Center is manned by nearly 200 people representing all the cities emergency services near dusk mayor Victor skiro comes down the stairs to hear disturbing news station be advis an extremely dangerous bety has headed toward New Orleans flooding may occur just South Lake Bon train and Jefferson and Orleans parishes as a strong northly wind for water over the sea wall Chief we are expecting 12 ft of water in this area over the lakeef front Charlie Erman the city civil defense director the force is distributed downward we getting shallow water in the what of our preparations in this area now I would suggest this that we move evacuate these people from this Parish line to the rigales and from the lakefront to Florida Avenue Lake Pon train the huge shallow treacherous Lake lying just north of New Orleans if the eye passes east of the city the Hurricane's counterclockwise winds will scoop the lake clear over the levy the mayor's warning goes out now we are providing buses if you look out on the West End Boulevard P train Boulevard you'll find service in one place particularly the news strikes home the buas home on Windgate drive just a few blocks south of the lakefront for nearly 6 years now Gan baras has been half Paralyzed by polio dividing his days and nights between an iron lung and a rocking bed both needed nearly every minute of the day to keep the Breath of Life in his body [Music] if hurricane winds knock out the power lines the equipment will stop or if water starts pouring over the levy you'll have no chance of Escape hello mama let me talk to Henry a minute yeah Mrs beros calling her brothers for help hello Henry listen this is moment I have to have some way of getting a gene to the hospital this afternoon and I was wondering if you and maybe one of the other boys could help you know no as soon as possible well that'll be okay as soon as it gets home from work but I want you to hurry up now because it's [Music] important other distress calls are beginning to pour into the Emergency Operating Center reged nurses you want any available for duty tonight to report to 2000 toan Avenue you need gasoline at you are Prov run the auxiliary generator all right we'll try to get you 50 gallons you mean your wife's having a baby right now can't you get her to a hospital no no hold on we'll got a doctor on the line the doctor's Rodney Jung the City Health director being called on to tell a frightened young father how to deliver his very first baby without training or forces or fainting too late under Rising winds the phone Line's already gone [Music] dead time's growing short on Windgate Drive Mona beras is getting her husband ready for the trip to the hospital out of the bed and into the wheelchair getting him dressed and worrying over what's keeping her brothers when will they get off work and get here finally time to go out toward the door and then goodbyes to Cindy the baby of the family his sons and his wife to escape the flood they'll all be going to a sister's apartment in another safer part of town the genti section in the Southeast quarter of New Orleans Jean is heading for Charity Hospital [Music] [Music] now Betsy Roars down on her third swinging Town closes up Bourbon Street tighter than an 8:00 curfew and unpredictable to the very last she veers again the 930 weather bureau bulletin says the eye may now pass west of the city instead of East a last minute reprieve for the lakefront area probably bad news somewhere else firearm to 306 laid by Fallen trees you will have to handle alone no one else can reach you have you heard anything about that woman in labor have you heard anything about that woman in labor no [Music] sir no word yet but bad news elsewhere as the hurricane comes sweeping up the Delta I don't know how long we can stay on this line all right just tell us what the situation is right now in complete do here now the eye this thing or the most or the greater part of it must be right here right now because there's no surging inent as one Contin blow and I'm telling you she's a blowing and she's a shaking at 11:46 all power fails at the New Orleans weather bureau and the wind gauge blows off the roof falling trees are knocking out telephone lines all over town but not till Dr Jung finally gets the word he's been waiting for oh Dr Jung that woman you wored about had her baby and both are doing well fine by midnight Betsy's overwhelming the city gusts are reaching 150 mph and all the church bells in town are tolling wildly in the winds baton Ro is next in line wind in the bat Rouge area are increasing in velocity to Hurricane force with Winds of near 100 mph by 130 a.m. in the state Emergency Operating Center Governor John mckian and his staff disaster coordinator Leon Gary and civil defense director Marshall Capel are working with red cross public health and salvation army the welfare groups and National Guard emergency calls are pouring in from all over the state including one from National Guard headquarters at New Orleans Jackson Barracks to Baton Rouge Baton Rouge flooding now at Jackson Barracks you're kidding no one's kidding Betsy's is bringing in danger from a totally unexpected quarter her winds are pushing a 16t wall of water out of Lake Bourne in the Gulf the greatest title surge in Louisiana history sweeping over the Delta plaman Parish St Bernard topping the highest levies roaring across the industrial Canal into the southeast section of New Orleans no one knows the full size of the disaster yet in Betsy's wake there's only Darkness confusion and death Daybreak and Devastation and the church bells are quiet now [Music] hurricane winds have done their worst the title surge has topped them fatality list is as follows 25-year-old Mrs Joan Mayu her body was found in the Franklin Avenue ditch she was Swept Away by flood waters in the flooded area people are still being pulled off roofs and out of the water another small dunker I saw just a big weight coming right at the house it looked like it's taller than the house and I HED for my husband and he ran my brother-in-law called but thank God he got the last call through and he screamed tell him get out the levy broke well we swam down the apartment it was flooded to the second floor and they lifted us into the boat the water was coming that high another 25,000 refugees to swamp already overcrowded shelters H it own by goly well you seem pretty happy for the I got my four precious possessions out my children you ever seen anything like this before never have seen anything like this before NOA never have and I hope I never see it again my children are staying down at my sister-in-laws cuz I don't want to bring them in you it's that bad by midafternoon the presidential plane is on its way from Washington swinging out over the gulf then up the Delta flying low following Betsy's trail of Destruction Grand aisle where the hurricane first made landfall nothing left up the Mississippi houses swept 5 miles from their front door steps Levy strown with battered ships and barges more than 450 beached or sunk and missing near Baton Rouge somewhere on the River Bottom in Mississippi Mud barge MTC 602 Laden with 600 tons of deadly liquid chlorine enough to produce more poison gas than both sides used in all of World War I and much more than enough to wipe out baton rou at 5:00 Air Force One lands at New Orleans bringing the president his AIDS and leaders of the Louisiana Congressional Delegation to survey the damage see what needs to be done in one old grade school near the industrial Canal not meant for use as a shelter at all they find 3,000 refugees from the flood and only four young volunteers on hand to help how much training have you had for this type of War about 15 minutes I guess the president declares Louisiana and Florida both disaster areas tells the office of emergency planning to coordinate federal assistance more than 1,200,000 people from nearly every agency of the national government will be involved down the Delta roads are flooded out but 2500 National Guardsmen come in by river steamer to begin rescue operations Coast Guard helicopters are flying more than 2,000 missions the military Choppers are matching them Red Cross is flying in staff from all over the country and with them to help in this overwhelming task come hundreds of Health and Welfare workers on loan from other states and cities the other voluntary agencies Captain ward of the Salvation Army has placed an urgent request for clothing of any kind especially children's clothing blankets diapers food and money to purchase clothing a refugee city is being created at the alers Navy facility more than 12,000 people will be beded down fed and cared for at the alers naval station by Nightfall the Army is providing Feld kitchens bedding and latrine and the Red Cross is uh providing the transportation for these evacuees officials of plaman Parish have requested that all persons entering plaman Parish by boat must stop at Bell Chase school for typhoid shots typhoid shots are necessary due to a large amount of dead animals in the area Charity Hospital is in dire need of blood blood donors can give blood a Charity Hospital anytime from 8:00 a.m. to 400 p.m. the clinics will be closed and there will be no visiting hours at Charity Hospital no visitors and no word at all to tell genan baras if his family is even alive but in the Gent section the phone lines are down the water is still up lapping at the door [Music] Sills for three straight days the whole beros clan has been marooned in a small first floor apartment short on food and short on room eight adults and 14 little monsters with nothing else to do with their time children but reliefs in sight well hurricane Betsy's finally blown itself out is down to rainstorm intensity now and is heading Northeast through Tennessee toward New York and I hope it still has enough rain in it when it gets to New York to help them alleviate their water shortage and finally the pumps are taking effect inti at least the water level's falling and for the first time in 4 days it's possible for Mona beras to get out call Charity Hospital honey it's [ __ ] after all the worry the family's safe and coming home tomorrow [Music] so life begins again people starting all over just how bad is it with you well I tell you we're down but we're not out you're not out right what happened to you personally what about your family or everybody got they're all safe uhhuh and we'll re rebuild you will rebuild oh yeah you don't think this will knock you out by no indeed going to build a leverage higher and have a PR Community how do you feel about I always did want to redecorate did you yeah a man who dealt with a dozen major disasters said it there isn't a city in the world that could handle anything as big as this alone it's just overwhelming but there isn't a city in the world that may not face the same sort of thing someday major disaster in one form or another and have to be organized to meet it using resources from many public and private agencies and at New Orleans City Hall they're working around the clock civil government in emergency meeting the needs of its people fighting a thousand problems at once welfare assistance for victims of the flood locating medical supplies arranging to fly in a civil defense Emergency Hospital unit answering emergency calls for food water sanitation equipment for trucks and Ducks to handle relief operations the endless job of cleanup fumigation inspection at the civil defense office the coordinating point for this kind of planning the lights burn late an endless string of coffee cups and still no sleep in [Music] sight Betsy's final bill won't be in for months the chlorine barge near Baton Rouge will take a million dollar to raise core of engineers supervising the Salvage job Army Red Cross and civil defense evacuating the sick and aged in case anything goes wrong and gas starts sweeping the city the others can take care of themselves and they do on November 10 2 months to the day since the hurricane hit they bail out of town in a [Music] hurry but 602 will rise again and so will Louisiana and Betsy long gone after 16 days and 3,000 mil whistling out through the woods of Northern Louisiana Arkansas Tennessee to die next day in a simple whirl of dust the danger over at last till the next one comes along I [Music]