CNN Student News Transcript: August 23, 2007

(CNN Student News) -- August 23, 2007

Quick Guide

Dean Weakens: Hear about Hurricane Dean's second landfall and the history of Category 5 storms.

Flooding in Midwest: Learn about some of the U.S. regions currently struggling through severe weather.

Toy Recall: Discover why a U.S. federal commission is recalling thousands of Chinese-made toys.

Transcript

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: You've landed on our Thursday edition of CNN Student News! From the CNN Center, I'm Carl Azuz, and here's what we've got lined up for you today: Hurricane Dean. No longer a hurricane, but still a major threat to cause landslides and flash floods in parts of Mexico. Midwest floods. Parts of the U.S. are struggling with severe weather right now, with flood warnings in effect from Texas to Minnesota. And a home in the sky. It sounds like something out of a nursery rhyme, but this woman's treehouse is the real deal.

First Up: Dean Weakens

AZUZ: First up today, Mexico has a second run-in with Hurricane Dean, as the storm hits the country's southern and central regions. After battering the Yucatan Peninsula earlier this week, Dean crossed back over water, picking up strength before making landfall on Mexico's eastern coast Wednesday. Now shortly after it came ashore, the hurricane's wind speeds dropped to 85 miles per hour, making it a Category 1 storm. And it got even weaker as it moved across the country. Mexico's president says the damage in the Yucatan isn't as bad as he had expected, but officials are saying Dean could dump up to 20 inches of rain on some areas, and that might cause flooding and landslides.

Now when Dean slammed into the Yucatan Peninsula, it was a massive storm, with wind speeds of up to 165 miles per hour. Hurricanes don't get that strong too often, but when they do, the results can be devastating. Anderson Cooper has more on these powerful storms.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: It is the highest level a hurricane can reach: Category 5. The most intense winds, the worst flooding, usually massive amounts of property damage wherever the storm makes landfall. If there is a silver lining, it is that Cat-5 hurricanes, ones that actually hit land, don't happen very often.

In fact, only three category five storms have hit U.S. shores in more than 100 years. The first on record happened in September of 1935, before hurricanes had names. It hit the Florida Keys with a vengeance. The "Labor Day Hurricane", as it became known, came ashore with 160 mile an hour winds, destroying everything in its path. A rescue train was washed right off the rails. More than 400 people died, including hundreds of World War One veterans.

In August of 1969, Hurricane Camille battered the Mississippi coast with top wind speeds estimated at 200 miles per hour. Estimated, because Camille destroyed the equipment that measures wind speeds. The storm surge reached 25 feet in some areas. Still considered the second most intense storm in U.S. history, Camille reduced hundreds of homes to rubble, causing $1.4 billion worth of damage, taking more than 250 lives.

The last Category 5 hurricane to hit the U.S. was Andrew in August of 1992. The monster storm slammed into the south Florida coast, but the destruction spread all the way to Louisiana. Entire neighborhoods were leveled by Andrew's powerful winds. At the time, Andrew was called a Category 4. It took ten years for an upgrade to 5. More than $26 billion in damages was left in Andrew's wake; 23 people died.

But people on the Yucatan have seen and heard the sheer terror of a Category 5 hurricane before, in 1988, when Gilbert blasted the peninsula, leaving the resort area in shambles. The storm was blamed for hundreds of deaths and billions of dollars in damage. We're just beginning to see the extent of the destruction Dean has left in its wake. Anderson Cooper, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

One-Sheet: Hurricanes

AZUZ: Now you know how intense they can be, what damage they can cause. But do you know what hurricanes are called in the western Pacific? How about what feeds a hurricane, causing it to rumble from a tropical depression to a Category 5 monster? Your answers are one sheet away in our free One-Sheet! And it takes only one click to CNNStudentNews.com.

Shoutout

GEORGE RAMSAY, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Time for the Shoutout! What does a hurricane become when its wind speeds drop below 74 miles per hour? If you think you know it, shout it out! Is it: A) Cyclone, B) Tropical depression, C) Tropical storm or D) Typhoon? You've got three seconds -- GO! On the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, a hurricane is downgraded to a tropical storm at wind speeds of 73 miles per hour. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout!

Flooding in Midwest

AZUZ: When a hurricane does get downgraded, the danger isn't necessarily past. In fact, parts of Texas are still under flood warnings after Tropical Storm Erin struck there last week. And the Lone Star State isn't alone. As of Wednesday morning, flood and flash-flood warnings were in effect in 10 states. Carol Costello has more on the severe weather around the U.S.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAROL COSTELLO: From Iowa to Minnesota to Ohio, the rain came and didn't stop. Many homes are underwater; many roads washed away. One of the worst hit: Findlay, Ohio, near Toledo. In some parts of town nearly every road, home and business is flooded. Take a look. Cemeteries are underwater, loosening grave markers. Gas stations are soaked. Our I-Reporter Donna Zoll is stuck in her home. She sent us these pictures of her sunroom.

DONNA ZOLL, I-REPORT: That water came up last night as well. We were concerned with the front, with the street. And I happened to look out back outside the sun room and I saw just a river of water coming our way. And I knew that we were in trouble when I saw that.

COSTELLO: At least 100 people have been rescued by boat. The city is busing people to shelters. And it's not over. The Blanchard River is nearly seven feet above flood stage and is expected to rise more with new rain.

In Minnesota, more of the same. Main Street in Rushford. Every business here is damaged. But that's not the worst of it. Just down the road, Jim Campbell, a newspaper deliveryman, was driving his Ford Escort when the road collapsed under his car.

JIM CAMPBELL, FLOOD VICTIM: No warning at all. As soon as I came around the corner, within 20 feet of the road was gone, maybe.

COSTELLO: He found himself in a sinkhole, grabbing on to tree roots to pull himself up and out. A passing motorist stopped and took him to the hospital. He now sports a fifteen-inch gash on his face. Others in the state are watching their backyards disappear. In Minnesota City, homes are now hanging precariously over a "new cliff." Large chunks of wet earth are falling into a nearby creek.

FLOOD VICTIM: We don't know where we are going to go, or what we are going to do. This is not just our house, it's our home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Word to the Wise

RAMSAY: A Word to the Wise...

import (noun) goods or services bought from another country

Source: www.dictionary.com

Toy Recall

AZUZ: He lives in a pineapple under the sea. But a lot of the toys that feature SpongeBob SquarePants are made in China. In fact, the majority of U.S. toy imports are from there. Well a federal commission says some of the most well-known items contain dangerous amounts of lead, and they're being sent back. Christine Romans has more on the Chinese toy recall.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN REPORTER: These products are in violation of federal lead standards. The Consumer Product Safety Commission announcing the recall of 250,000 SpongeBob SquarePants address books and journals. They may have excessive levels of lead paint on their metal bindings These tin pails from Thomas and Friends and Curious George. Paint on the wooden handles contain excessive levels of lead. Also recalled, spinning tops featuring the same characters and thousands of pieces of jewelry: Divine Inspiration charm bracelets and these Toby and Me jewelry sets sold at TJ Maxx and Marshall's.

JULIE VALLESE, CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION: First and foremost, just take it away from your child. A product like that may be at the bottom of the toy box, and so parents really should do inventory on a regular basis of the products that the CPSP recalls.

ROMANS: All of these recalled products were made in China. The Toy Industry Association says of the $22.3 billion in toys sold in the U.S. last year, 80 percent come from China.

LORI WALLACH, PUBLIC CITIZEN: The idea is to make sure that, number one, wherever a product is produced, it's done safely. And number two, if there's an unsafe product, it doesn't get into our market. A recall is a situation of the horse's being out of the barn, the danger already in our homes.

ROMANS: The CPSC has recalled 86 million toys this year, toys that companies have manufactured or imported.

VALLESE: It is their obligation to consumers and the federal government to make sure that the products they are producing, regardless of where they are being manufactured, meet U.S. safety standards.

ROMANS: According to the Centers for Disease Control, there is no acceptable level of lead exposure for children. Lead can lower a child's IQ and cause brain damage. Toy Industry insiders say recalls show their system is working, but keep in mind, the 66 thousand spinning tops recalled today were sold more than five years ago in specialty stores. The SpongeBob books and journals have been on store shelves for a year. Christine Romans, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Promo

AZUZ: When you subscribe to our free e-mail, you'll get the early info on what stories we're covering in that day's show. Plus, you can find out what's new at our home page. And that's where you can sign up for the daily alert: CNNStudentNews.com.

Before We Go

AZUZ: Before we go, we're taking a tour of one woman's dream home. There was an old lady who lived in a shoe. You've probably heard that rhyme one time or two. But now we want you to meet Shawnee. The thing about her is, she lives in a tree! It's not in the woods, but the middle of town where her home can be found high up off the ground. If you want to go stay there, she'll rent you a room, but those who fear heights should not visit soon.

Goodbye

AZUZ: And that's our last rhyme, as we've run out of time. But we'll see you again tomorrow for more CNN Student News. Thanks for watching. I'm Carl Azuz. E-mail to a friend