CBS4 NEWS AT 6:00 STARTS RIGHT
NOW.
THIS IS CBS4 AT 6:00.
NOW AT 6:00, WHIPPING WINDS,
DRENCHING DOWNPOURS, RISING
STORM SURGE.
HURRICANE MICHAEL SLAMS ASHORE
IN THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE AND
RIGHT INTO THE RECORD BOOKS
TONIGHT CBS4 LIVE TEAM COVERAGE
OF THIS HISTORIC EVENT.
NOW HURRICANE MICHAEL
SUSTAINED WINDS WERE CLOCKED AT
155 MILES AN HOUR AT LANDFALL
JUST SHY OF A CATEGORY 4 STORM.
CATEGORY 4 -- OF A CATEGORY
5 STORM.
WE HAVE CRAIG SETZER
TRACKING MICHAEL AS IT MOVES
FARTHER FROM THE COAST.
LET'S BEGIN WITH TY RUSSELL
WHO ROAD OUT THE STORM IN
PANAMA CITY.
TY, HOW ARE THE CONDITIONS
RIGHT NOW?
Reporter: RIGHT NOW IT'S A
BIT WINDY.
THERE'S STILL SOME OF THIS
METAL DEBRIS ANDD WOULD.
WE DIDN'T WANT THED WOULD TO
BLOW AND PICK IT UP AND INJURE
US.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE KEEPING OUR
DISTANCE FROM THIS STUFF.
YOU CAN SEE THERE ARE STILL
DOWNED POWERLINES.
LOOK AT THIS, ELLIOTT.
THEY'RE TRYING TO DRIVE ON
THESE FLOODED ROADWAYS NEAR THE
DOWNED POWER LINES WHICH
OFFICIALS DON'T ENCOURAGE
PEOPLE TO DO.
HOWEVER, PEOPLE ARE HOPING TO
GET HOME SOONER THAN LATER.
HURRICANE MICHAEL PACKED A
PUNCH.
IT CREATED A BLANKET OF WIND
AND RAIN IN PANAMA CITY, A
SIGHT SO SCARY IT BROUGHT LIBBY
BUSBY TO TEARS.
HER BOYFRIEND IS AT THEIR
FAMILY HOME FEET AWAY FROM THE
GULF.
SHE AND THE KIDS EVACUATED TO
THIS HOTEL WHERE THE POWER IS
NOW OUT.
NEARBY INSIDE ONE OF THE ROOMS.
I JUST TOOK THE MATTRESS OFF
HERE AND PUT IT IN FRONT OF THE
WINDOW.
Reporter: THE FAMILY OF FOUR
WITH ONE ON THE WAY IS DOING
WHAT THEY CAN TO STAY SAFE.
IT'S BAD.
Reporter: WE WALKED DOWN THE
HALLWAY AND OUR CBS4 CREW SAW
THIS.
WE GOT EVERYONE INSIDE TO AVOID
PRESSURE BUILDING UP INSIDE THE
HOTEL AND WORKED TO KEEP THE
DOOR SHUT AND BATTED THE --
BATTLED THE STORM.
AS FOR FAMILIES WAITING FOR THE
STORM TO MOVE THROUGH THE
EYEWALL OF HURRICANE MICHAEL
CONTINUED TO WHIP UP METAL AND
SNAP TREES IN HALF.
THERE'S STILL A LOT OF CLEANING
UP TO DO.
THIS COULD TAKE WEEKS OR
MONTHS.
OUR CREW, WE HAVE DAMAGE TO OUR
VEHICLES.
TAKE A LOOK AT THIS.
THIS IS A POLICE CAR.
THE BACK WINDOW OF THE POLICE
CAR IS DAMAGED.
IT WAS BLEN OUT.
SO OBVIOUSLY, OFFICIALS, THEY
HAVE WORK TO DO.
ONE OF OUR VEHICLES.
WE HAVE WORK TO DO, A LOT OF
CLONING UP TO DOD I GREW UP IN
MIAMI.
I REMEMBER HURRICANE ANDREW AND
THERE ARE A LOT OF
SIMILARITIES.
WE'RE LIVE IN PANAMA CITY, I'M
TY RUSSELL.
DAMAGE ALL AROUND YOU.
HAVING EXPERIENCED HURRICANES
BEFORE, WHAT WAS IT LIKE FOR
YOU FOR THOSE FEW HOURS.
Reporter: WELL, AT ONE TIME
I DID GET A LITTLE EMOTIONAL.
THE MANAGER OF THE HOTEL, SHE
JUST BROKE DOWN IN THE KITCHEN.
SHE DIDN'T KNOW IF SHE WHO BE
ABLE TO SEE HER FAMILY AGAIN.
SHOW YOU JUST HELD ON TO HER.
ALSO, THIS WAS VERY SCARY FOR
SOME OF THE FAMILIES BECAUSE
THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT THEIR
HOMES AND THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT
THEIR FAMILIES.
BUT EVERYONE AT THIS HOTEL NO
ONE WAS INJURED.
EVERYBODY IS OKAY, INCLUDING
USE THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR.
GREAT JOB TY RUSSELL IN PANAMA
CITY.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE STORM,
RUDABEH PEOPLE HAVE TO HELP
EACH OTHER.
THE CALVARY ISN'T THERE JUST
YET.
WE EXPECT THE DAMAGE TO BE
EXTENSIVE.
HANK TESTER CONTINUES OUR
COVERAGE WITH SOME OF THE
AMAZING VIDEO OF MICHAEL'S
APPROACH AND LANDFALL.
Reporter: IT'S A DEVASTATED
STORM, ROOFS RIPPED OFF, STORM
SURGE, SIDING STRIPPED OFF
HOMES AND BUSINESSES.
LOCAL TV STATIONS ARE OFF THE
AERIALS THEY BEGIN EARLY DAMAGE
ASSESSMENT AND RESCUE AND
RELIEF OPTIONS GET UNDERWAY.
THIS CAME UP FAST AND DELIVERED
A KNOCKOUT PUNCH.
HURRICANE MICHAEL JUST SHY OF A
CAT 5, MAKES LANDFALL EASE OF
PANAMA CITY MIDDAY.
MICHAEL WAS A TRIPLE THREAT,
WIND, RAIN AND STORM SURGE, THE
STRONGEST TO HIT THE U.S. SINCE
HURRICANE ANDREW IN 1992.
IT WILL TAKE WEEKS TO ASSESS.
MIGHT NOT BE HERE, MAN.
I REALLY DON'T WANT TO CROI ON
CAMERA.
THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE TO DEAL
WITH.
Reporter: DAMAGE THAT COULD
NEVER BE PREPARED FOR.
THE QUESTION TONIGHT, HOW MANY
PEOPLE REMAINED IN THEIR HOMES
DURING THE ONSLAUGHT.
HOW MANY WILL NEED RESCUE.
FATALITIES?
SOME SAY IT'S SIMILAR TO AN
EF3 TORNADO MAKING LANDFALL.
Reporter: CREWS ARE POISED
TO MOVE IN AS SOON AS MICHAEL
CLEARS THE COAST.
HELPING THOSE IN NEED.
Reporter: BY THE LOOKS OF
EARLY ON INJURIES,'S GOING TO
BE PLENTY OF FOLKS THAT,
INDEED, WILL BE IN NEED.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP SAYS WE
ARE VERY WELL PREPARED, SAYING
FIRST RESPONDERS ARE ALL OVER
AND 1,000 TRUCKS ARE STAGED FOR