US Storm Clean Up - Clean up operation after major winter storm sweeps country
TAPE: EF02/1030
IN_TIME: 23:45:40
DURATION: 1:24
SOURCES: ABC
RESTRICTIONS:
DATELINE: Various, 6 Dec 2002
SHOTLIST:
ABC - Durham County, North Carolina (N.C) 6 December, 2002
1. Mid shot North Carolina power worker, Durham County, N.C.
2. Wide shot, N.C. power crews working, Durham County, N.C.
3. Close ups, various of residents without power gathered for warmth, Durham County
4. SOUNDBITE: (English) David King, resident:
"We got a kerosene heater at the house and trying to keep warm."
5. Close up to side shot, street closed sign
6. Close up downed power line
6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Scott Gardner, Duke Power spokesman:
"(We) don't have the crews at our easy disposal as we had during Fran. So this thing may be into a week and a half, maybe beyond that in some isolated cases. But this could be a lengthy restoration effort."
ABC - Charlotte, North Carolina, 6 December, 2002
7. Various shots downed trees from ice storm
8. Various shots downed power lines
9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Chris Elkins, Charlotte resident:
"This morning we walked out, just kind of everybody walked out of their house and started lending a hand."
10. Crews arriving to help out
11. Chain saws cutting through downed trees
12. Heavy equipment being used to remove downed trees.
STORYLINE:
A winter storm that swept up the US eastern seaboard has left millions of residents in North Carolina shivering and in darkness.
According to authorities, the damage from the storm could take more than a week to clean up.
On Friday, crews worked late into the night to remove downed tree limbs that had smashed power lines.
Authorities have called for more manpower to made available from across the United States, to help restore power to residents as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, bundled up and gathered outside in freezing temperatures, trying to keep warm.
Much of North Carolina has come to a standstill.
Adding to the crisis, nearly half an inch of ice has coated streets forcing closures and weighing down power lines and trees.
Officials from Duke Power, which services over two (m) million customers in North and South Carolina, admitted that half of their customers are without electricity, far surpassing the number left in the dark after Hurricane Hugo hit in 1989.