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Morning News

Last Woman in Town: Fighting Ice and Flood in Illinois

Aired February 28, 2001 - 11:01 a.m. ET

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

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Now that ice jam that we've been talking, where dozens of people in three Illinois towns are on the run. Huge chunks of ice are stacked for about six miles along the Rock River in northwestern Illinois. That's about 140 miles west of Chicago. The ice has raised the river's level more than 3 feet, sending floodwaters into the streets of Cleveland, Osborn and Barstow. More than 150 people have fled to higher ground.

And joining us now on the phone is Charlotte Beard, who's said to be the only woman left in Cleveland. She did not flee. She is stranded in her home, but doesn't want to leave.

Charlotte, are you there?

Yes, yes.

PHILLIPS: Why don't you want to leave?

CHARLOTTE BEARD, CLEVELAND RESIDENT: It's very traumatic and emotional to walk away from your home and not know what you are going to come back to. I mean, just imagine. It's hard to do to leave your home.

PHILLIPS: Are you worried about your safety?

BEARD: Well, you know, you don't sleep much. And you watch the river. And you make sure we have two pumps in the basement pumping water constantly. And you have to make sure everything is going. Or, you know, you are in trouble. So you don't sleep much.

PHILLIPS: Can you describe the conditions? Why don't you describe the area where you are directly around your home? And then please describe for us your home.

BEARD: When you look out our windows, all you see, of course, is water. You may walk -- around our house, there is maybe three feet of ground, dry ground. But we are just -- we're stranded. And we're doing the best we can do to stay here. You know, we've lived here 26 years.

There's never been anything like this ever since we've lived here. But the corps of engineers has allowed buildings downstream: shops, restaurants, Wal-Mart, a hospital. And it's changed the course of the river, choked it up. And now the water backs up in our little village so easy. And FEMA has promised three years ago to buy all our homes out in this little village. And to date, only 13 have been bought out.

And I'm just hoping that they will see how bad it is and accelerate their program.

PHILLIPS: So is everybody willing to go ahead and sell their home and move out if that offer is made, Charlotte?

BEARD: You know, water -- and, in particular, in this type of weather, it got 5 degrees last night -- the ice is very dangerous. A chunk of ice could probably take a home over. And, you know, it's no fun. And I think everyone would be willing, if they got a fair price for their home, to leave the community.

PHILLIPS: What about food and water? How stacked is your refrigerator? What do you have in the house?

BEARD: We have plenty of food. We have plenty of food to get by -- and plenty of water. We are OK. You know, we are OK. It's just -- the night time is the scariest because you can't see, you know. And you have to just keep watching, because you never know what will happen. The ice could jam and it could be up in no time, you know.

PHILLIPS: You said, at night time, you can't see. Is that because there's no electricity? Or you are talking about just you can't see outside because of the darkness?

BEARD: Because of the darkness.

PHILLIPS: OK.

BEARD: The streets lights is still on. But, of course, it limits -- you know, you can't see -- the river is probably a block- and-a-half from us. And if you look down to the river, you see the ice and the snow-covered ice. And it probably stacks. I could see it 8 feet to 10 feet tall compared to the water that has crept out from underneath it.

PHILLIPS: Charlotte, I have to let this -- get this last question in before we let you go: What will it take to finally force you and your husband to leave?

BEARD: Well, you know, I -- if our pumps fail, if the water starts coming in and we can't fight it anymore, we will have to leave.

PHILLIPS: Charlotte Beard, you take care of yourself. And be careful. And you do monitor that water. Thanks for being with us.

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