Transcripts For CNNW CNN Newsroom With Brooke Baldwin 201505

CNNW CNN Newsroom With Brooke Baldwin May 26, 2015

Getting reports of one rocket thats been fired from gaza. It has hit southern israel. Im joined by Lieutenant Colonel peter lerner, spokesman for the Israel Defense force or idf. Colonel, what can you tell me about this rocket, and any injuries any damage . Reporter so far, heres what we know. At least one rocket hit southern israel an hour ago now. It landed in the southern community. No injuries reported at this time. What we can say, of course that originated from the gaza strip, we see hamas responsibility for everything that originate from the territory. Has hamas claimed responsibility . Our correspondent was saying no one had as of yet. Reporter were still looking into the details. Ultimately on the gaza strip, we realized that it is their responsibility to make sure these attacks dont take place from their territory. Tell me i know at that air raid sirens i understand theyre working, they were sounding and then the larger city outside of where youre referencing, an area near the gaza border. People are very familiar with this. Reporter yeah, unfortunately its a reality that israelies have to get used to. Constantly living that reality of being prepared for potential rockets, sirens air raid sirens, and the alarms against these rockets. They have they shoot them up into the air and hope they land somewhere, some sort of quality. Its a challenge a threat and this rocket does not cause casualties. We will be looking into the circumstances. And yeah as i said hamas is responsibility for this. Spokesperson at the idf. Thank you very much, sir, for jumping on the phone. I appreciate it. Well follow the story out of israel. Meantime here at home we are all witnessing historic and deadly flash flooding in the nations fourth largest city. Nearly a foot of record rainfall pounded houston last night. The aftermath, flooding that has absolutely devastated the city. At least two people have lost their lives. Five statewide. Neighborhoods look at the picture yourself. This tells the story here. Totally washed out. Many roads are impassable. Schools closed until further notice. Then you have seen the cars trucks vehicles lined up. Theyre not going anywhere. Totally submerged. Its unreal to look at this. More than ten inch of rain swamped the city in less than 24 hours. Even the president of the United States he spoke today. He said help is coming to texas. I assured Governor Abbott that he could count on the help of the federal government we have fema personnel on the ground they are coordinating with texas Emergency Management authorities, and i will anticipate that there will be some significant requests made to washington, my pledge to him is that we will expedite those requests. Joining me from our houston affiliate, ktrk is jeff eling. Before you tell me where you are, we just heard that the hayes county commissioner is saying that now 30 people are unaccounted for. I believe this is the same yoint 12 people had been county where 12 people had been missing. Now were hearing 30. Reporter yeah. Thats over the hill country. Thats going to be west of where we are in harris county. Devastating floods happening all weekend long and again yesterday. I can tell you that at one point, one of the rivers rose Something Like 20 or 25 feet in the space of a couple of hours. There were homes that were washed away. A very large vacation area. You have people who would go to the area for, say, memorial day weekend, entire family go up there. So yeah, it would be very populated in the vacation homes cabins with people trying to experience a great threeday weekend. It was literally homes being washed away. Im standing or kneeling in a home that is just north of south of brays bayou in houston. The water level is falling, but not fast enough. Theres an inch of water in this house. That doesnt really tell the story. I wanted to show this table here. This table is not supposed to be here. It wasnt here last night. It was across the room. The reason its here 2. 5 feet of water flooded this home. Imagine what it must have like to be in this house. One person doesnt have to imagine. Randy farber. You were here when this was going. On what was it like . Very unexpected. Weve seen high water before. Actually had a little bit of water come in, you know a quarter inch around the doors and thing. Never in our wildest dreams did we imagine this would happen. Reporter it happened so quickly, too. It did. We saw the water coming up and we said well, its getting close to the door. Lets put towels around the doors. In ten minutes, 15 minutes, it had risen and was ankle deep. It was a foot deep within 30 minutes. And it eventually got to be 2. 5 feet. To my mid thighs. Reporter this is one of the classic southwest houston homes. This is a ranchstyle house in the meyerland neighborhood. You dont really have a lot of places to go. Theres not a second story. You knew you had to do something because the water level was rising too quickly. What did you do to get to Higher Ground . Right. We actually have a walkup attic. And so when it got to be too high to stay in and we needed to get relief and sit down and rest for a bit, we headed upstairs. Weve got the attic door is right back here. And walked up the attic, and stay thursday for several hours. When it finally turned light, we came back down to check out the damage and we had 2. 5 feet in the house. It was actually rising still at 6 30 this morning. I dont think it turned around and started going down until 10 00 this morning. Reporter youve got a fan fantastic mess on your hands. Whats the next step . Have you called your Insurance Agent . How quickly are you going to be able to get back to normal . We called the Insurance Agent. We have two felt we have to call the flood Insurance Agent. And the car in the garage is flooded. 2. 5 to 3 feet of water on the car took care of that. We called the auto insurance. We should have a a rental car tomorrow. And ive called a contractor to help us start taking the carpets out, cut the wall so everything can dry out. Reporter there was loss of life in houston, too. I know we have two people confirmed dead. People missing. When you hear about about, it puts it into hear about that it puts it into perspective. Its devastating. Reporter thank you very much for letting me into your house. Thats the situation not just in this home but all sorts of homes around the area. I know the homes left to us, right of us behind us, all of them had water inside. Dozens of homes in our area. Please tell randy we feel hear him. Were thinking about all the kmubts in communities in texas. Jeff appreciate you. Houston not the only part of texas really in fullon recovery mode. The town of wimberly in the central part of the state suffered tremendous loss from all the storms, the water, rain flooding. Meteorologist Jennifer Gray is there for us in front of this home just totally exemplifies the power of the rushing, rising waters there. Reporter yeah. Really is unbelievable brooke. You hear the numbers, we hear how how many inches it rained and how fast the water rose. Were occupy a bluff about 30, 35 feet above the river. To see a home like this that was actually built a little bit elevated completely washed away, it kind of gives you a little perspective. Whether it comes to weather, more people die in flooding than anything else. This is just another example of why the floodwaters rise very quickly when it comes to flash flooding. People have little time to seek Higher Ground. This river has gone down dramatically. Rose to 43, 44 feet before the flood gauge broke. It could have gone higher than that. It has gone down a little bit. Or you can see signs of how high it was not only behind plea but the trees littered across the bank. Two 200 to 300, possibly 400 homes destroyed. A lot of them like the one were in front of, washed off the foundation. We have over 1,000 home that have been damaged. And as you mentioned a moment ago, we have about 30 people unaccounted for, 12 people missing, so the devastation here is just growing as we hear more and more stories coming out of the areas. And again, that 30 that were hearing from, the commissioner there, hayes county texas. 30 people unaccounted for. Jennifer gray, thank you very much. There are stori. Stori. Story. But this next one breaks your heart. Out of divine, texas. An accomplished High School Athlete was tragically killed by the flash flooding. 18yearold Alissa Ramirez was Student Council president , cheerleader, and homecoming queen. She of her way home from prom this past weekend when her car became tangled in the fastmoving floodwater. Joining me on the phone is one of alissas friends, her name is alice, as well. Alice alissa as well. Alissa schmidt. My condolences to you and all your dear friends. I know you all were so close. Just first, how are you holding up today . Caller well, were just trying to Stay Together as a closeknit group of friends as a family really. Weve had a lot of support, but we know the family needs more support. And were trying to Stay Together and just be together. Thats what shed want. Shed want us to be together and be a group. Take me back to this weekend and prom. I know you two girls were getting ready together before the big night. Tell me about some of your final conversations you had together. Caller yes. I think we just it was a typical day with alissa. Just laughing and being silly and reminiscing about the past four years from high school. We had friends with us talking about yearbooks and funny memorialies are from freshman and sophomore year jokes played on us. Just happy, loving environment that was always what you got with her was just peer love and happiness. So totally normal, having a good time before you head to prom. You get there. I know at one point you know the rains coming down. From what i understand she actually even tweeted about not wanting to get stuck at prom overnight. What was the last thing you remember saying to her before she took off . Caller i was with her before we before prom, and then i saw her at prom. I was not with her when they were in san antonio at the main event where they did where they were bowling and playing radio tag. I remember talking to her and just you know she was still talking about the fun that theyd had, and the fun we were going to have the next day. You know we were going to get together as a group of friends again. And you know she was just like we just typical with the we might be stuck in san antonio, but its okay. Well make the best of it. I remember telling her to be safe, and she just she said have fun, and how did you find out what happened . Caller a friend of mine called me the next morning to tell me what had happened. That the waters had swept her car off the road. What will you miss most about her, alissa . Caller her love for god. That was the first thing that you when you first talked to alissa, first of all, she had an infectious smile. Any time you saw her, you couldnt help but smile no matter what kind of mood you were in. Just walking down the hallways every kid has commented on how infectious that smile was and how bright and beautiful. Her love for god. As soon as you started talking to her, that was the first time you found out was how much she loved him. And. And how much she wanted to live out his word and to spread that word to others around. She was truly a woman of christ. And she believed wholehearts wholeheartedly that that was the way to live your life the way christ taught us. The way christ said to live. That is what would be missed most about her. That smile and that love for god that was just unmatchable. I am happy for you that you had so many wonderful memories with this young woman. And again, i am so, so sorry for your loss. Alissa schmidt. Thank you very much for sharing with me. I appreciate it. Thank you. Well be right back. Headache . Motrin helps you be an unstoppable, letsrockthisconcert likeits1999 kind of mom. When pain tries to stop you, theres motrin. Motrin works fast to stop pain where it starts. Make it happen with new motrin liquid gels. Dear stranger, when i booked this trip, my friends said i was crazy. Why would i stay in someone elses house . But this morning a city ive never been to felt like one i already knew. I just wanted to thank you for sharing your world with me. It felt like home. Airbnb. Belong anywhere. [ male announcer ] how do you make cancer a thing of the past . Well. You use the past. Huntsman Cancer Institute has combined 300 years of family histories with Health Records to discover inherited genes for melanoma, breast colon and ovarian cancers. So we can predict and treat cancer. And sometimes even prevent it from happening in the first place. To learn more or support the cause go to huntsmancancer. Org. Youre watching cnn. Im Brooke Baldwin. Days after it fell into isis hands, it seems the Iraqi Military is readying to get ramadi back. Were watching this closely as iraqi forces surround the captured city from three sides. According to iraqs defense minister vast operations are underway. The goal try to liberate ramadi and the Anbar Province from the terrorists and cut off an isis supply route to a major oil refinery. There is also the first is step to preventing any advance on the capital of baghdad. 80 miles east of ramadi. Isis theyre not going down without a fierce fight. Now calling in reinforcements from across the country. Let me bring in Lieutenant Colonel james reece. As we you have isis rushing in reinforcements weve talked to people on the ground, the Iraqi Military theyve seen reports of bulldozers rigged with explosives taking out humvees and firefights lasting for hours. The question is how is isis managing this its not like they have helicopters or advanced equipment. How are they holding this territory . One of the things you said is the vehicleborn improvised explosive device ied or vbied, is a web of choice for terrorists. It takes one person, as you know with a laden born vehicle and can do damage to a large concentration of defending or forces by a person. Its a force operation that could take out the opposite side quickly in explosion. Thats one way theyre doing it. And they have the whole reinforcement from syria. A safe haven for them. Theyve got tracks they can train and move in to anbar quickly to reinforce the fight. Thats where theyre coming for from for reinforcement. I know the iraqi Prime Minister says the liberation of anbar is imminent. If and when hopefully the Iraqi Military regains control of ramadi, what is the numberone way in which they will do that . One of our problems here is its been four days 4. 5 days iraqi time since our secretary of defense stated we dont have the will thats correct. The problem is, this shows how quickly war is and the fluidity of what combat happens. Iraqis have already started their counter offensive. Theyve already had their forces from the west. Take Anbar University which is in the Southwest Corner of ramadi. And right now, i give it to the iraqis they have moved in from the east where now they have isis between them in the west and the east and try to conduct this counter offensive. Theyre working it, but it shows how slow we talk and how fluid the combat is. You brought up the secretary of defense. He said not only do they not have the will to fight he said it wasnt a situation which they were outnumbered. They left. Im wondering, if that what were seeing with the offensive in surrounding three parts of the city if the words from the United States secretary of defense at all is influencing the sudden offensive around ramadi. Brooke im going to have to say no. I think i believe what ive talked to with the folks there in baghdad. And what npw and owl were reporting is yes, it got everyone fired up. Maybe that was the kick in the butt to get things going. I know the iraqis dont want this. They had the golden brigade out there. The golden eagle brigade, a great brigade. Unfortunately, things happen in combat. Its happened on both sides, it happens to us, the u. S. , with the greater fighting force. There are mishaps sometimes. The problem is lets not look through a straw, look down and make that as a general personalization around the country. Were looking at the timeline and pointed out 4. 5 days since isis took ramadi. If they are to regain ramadi, this needs to happen quickly. I imagine the longer the time passes the more strength the more emboldened isis is with regard to the city. Well look at tikrit as a model. They had this big offensive up north, and a month later it was still working it out. Once an element isis is not dumb. Theyll get into the city and start blending in. Theyre not going to sit out there like conventional forces do and sit in a defensive posture to allow aviation aircraft come in and destroy them. Theyre going to blend in. They get built into the city. They get embedded into the city. It becomes a blockbyblock streetbystreet door fight. This is critical. Not going to happen in two days or week. This could be another month were banging away at ramadi. Okay. Thank you very much. Thanks. Next cleveland officials just revealed they have putting in place stricter rules for the city for when and how its officers can use force. A lot of talk about training Law Enforcement there. All of this comes after an incredibly critical Justice Department report. Well go through change police will be making in cleveland. Also, more breaking news out of texas. 30 people we have learned in one county 30 people unaccounted for. So bad in one place last night. People couldnt leave the basketball arena after the rocket game. Coming up a sports announcer stuck at the arena until the wee hours of the morning tells me what it was like. The network that monitors her health. The secure Cloud Services that store her genetic data the servers and software on a mission to find the perfect match. And the mom who gets to hear her daughters heart beat once again. Were helping organizations transform the way they work so they can t

© 2025 Vimarsana