NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Sunday, February 4, 2024

Episode Date: February 5, 2024

Evacuation orders in parts of California as dangerous storm brings strong winds, heavy rain; Fallout across the region after U.S. launches airstrikes in Iraq and Syria; Firefighters battle deadly wildfires in Chile; and more on tonight’s broadcast.

Tonight, the life-threatening storm hitting California right now, bringing the first-ever hurricane force wind warnings to parts of the state. The California coast bracing for potentially catastrophic flooding. Hundreds ordered to evacuate, as much as a foot of rain set to fall in parts. This tree crushing a car on the Pacific Coast Highway fears the storm may disrupt tonight's Grammys and a Pebble Beach golf tournament postponed. The U.S. vowing more retaliation for the deaths of American soldiers in the Middle East as the Pentagon releases new information about this weekend's strikes,

including that there are no signs any Iranians were killed. What the administration now says about striking Iran directly. Have you ruled out strikes inside Iran? Out-of-control wildfires in Chile killing more than 99, 1,200 homes destroyed, residents fleeing through walls of flames. Our new NBC News poll, former President Trump's lead growing over President Biden,

and new details on the Senate immigration deal, but is it dead on arrival? A former Trump official killed during a carjacking spree, the latest in a string of high profile incidents across the U.S. and the power of gratitude. Why these letters meant so much to these teachers. I love you, too, honey. That is so kind. Thank you. This is NBC Nightly News with Kate Snow. Good evening. The warnings from government forecasters are blunt, calling the storm hitting California right now extremely dangerous and life threatening. And late today, the governor declared a state of emergency, much of the state bracing for a potentially catastrophic mix of rain or heavy snow and hurricane force winds.

Already more than 360,000 people are without power and that number is expected to grow. Strong waves have been slamming into San Francisco as evacuation orders go into effect in parts of northern California, areas around Los Angeles and Santa Barbara. The storm, driven by what's known as an atmospheric river, is slowly rolling over California, and there are very real fears it may stall over the state, unleashing a dangerous amount of rain. Dana Griffin starts us off tonight in Santa Barbara. Tonight, the first-ever hurricane force wind warning issued for California's central coastline.

As wind gusts over 80 miles per hour are felt in northern California. This tree crushing a car on the 101 freeway north of San Francisco. Firefighters work to free a man trapped inside. Officials confirming the driver has serious injuries. More than 600 properties have been ordered by officials to evacuate in Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Hopefully it's not quite as bad as they say, but I got a bad feeling. Many have chosen not to leave. Relentless weather causing concerns ahead of the Grammys red carpet and postponing the final round of the Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Fierce wind grounding planes at San Francisco International Airport as schools and impact zones have been canceled Monday.

Life safety is our priority. Fire Captain Scott Safechuck shows us the burn scar from the Thomas fire and 2018 deadly mudslides in Montecito. This basin created to stop water and debris from reaching nearby homes. And that could be life-saving? Absolutely, yeah. You can see some of the remnants of boulders that have been pulled out before and really those are just a fraction of the size that came down during the debris flow. I mean, bigger than houses. 37 million including San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Sacramento under flood alerts. As you heard, this storm that is coming our way

is a major storm. It is another atmospheric river expected to last from this evening through Tuesday morning. It has been described by the Weather Service as having a, quote, high risk for life threatening and damaging flooding. And Dana's with me now. Dana, what are the biggest concerns in the next couple of days? So, Kate, continuous rain is causing concerns that creeks like this will overflow their banks. Things will start to dry out Tuesday, but the threat of landslides and downed trees could remain for days. Kate? All right, Dana Griffin out there, thank you. It was one week ago exactly that three U.S. soldiers were killed when an Iranian backed group struck a U.S. base. And now the fallout after the U.S.

retaliated in a big way Friday night, hitting targets in Iraq and Syria. Those missiles, the White House says, were just the beginning. And tonight, Iran has a new warning for U.S. forces near the Red Sea. Keir Simmons reports from Erbil, Iraq. The bodies of Iraqis killed in this weekend's airstrikes were buried today. With speeches from pro-Iranian leaders calling for America to be cleaned from the country. Iraq's prime minister visited the wounded in the hospital, the strikes aiming to punish Iran and Iranian-backed groups for the attack that killed three US soldiers. But the Pentagon admitting today there are no reports of Iranians killed or injured. The Pentagon says Iran's

Revolutionary Guard was targeted and 48 hours later releasing some details of the impact, 84 buildings either damaged or destroyed, it says. Friday night was just the beginning, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told NBC's Kristen Welkin. Have you ruled out strikes inside Iran? I'm not going to get into what we've ruled in and ruled out. Iran producing this highly produced video, warning the US not to target one of its ships, the MV Bashad of the coast of Yemen, saying it's there to fight pirates. But the US has

accused Iran of providing the Houthis with intelligence, and experts believe that's Bashad's real role. They say it's a spy ship. Wherever the Bechshad goes happens to be more or less where the Houthis happen to be targeting their anti-ship ballistic missiles, suicide drones and suicide boats. A claim that fits with tracking data reviewed by NBC News. The Iranian video today ends with US Navy carriers turning red and a threat. Those engaging in terrorist activities against big shot or similar vessels jeopardize international maritime road security and assume global responsibility for potential future international risks.

This exclusive NBC News video from our team on board the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower last night as the U.S. and U.K. launched 36 strikes against 13 Houthi targets. Today, igniting demonstrations in Yemen, Houthi leaders declaring, you will not make us scared or weak. And Kir joins me now from Iraq. Kir, all of this happening with the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas war, of course, and there's new effort on the diplomatic front there. That's right, Kate. Secretary of State Blinken traveling to the region tonight to try to push again for a ceasefire in Gaza. He will stop in Saudi Arabia, in Qatar, in Egypt, in Israel and in the West Bank. The Biden administration trying to deter Iran and achieve peace. Tonight, Kate, it looks like a

battle on both fronts. Kate. Keir Simmons for us. Keir, thank you. There's a deadly and dramatic natural disaster unfolding across the South American country of Chile tonight. Out of control wildfires have already killed nearly 100 people, and now they're closing in on major cities. Josh Letterman has the latest. Tonight, a wind-whipped inferno in Chile, turning the skies into an orange hellscape. Thick smoke blanketing the densely populated Valparaiso region, normally a beachside paradise, now a death trap.

President Gabriel Boric saying the death toll, already in the 60s by midday, quickly rising to 99 later Sunday, according to the medical examiner's office, is certain to rise even higher. That makes this Chile's worst natural disaster in nearly 15 years. Horrifying video showing cars dodging flames on the highway. More than 1,300 homes destroyed in one area alone, Chile's government says. In some neighborhoods, almost nothing is left. We need help, this Viña del Mar resident says. Food for our pets, supplies. I lost my house, everything. Wildfires are common in the sizzling Chilean summer, but these flames are being fueled by intense heat, heavy winds and low humidity, part of the El Nino weather system. Tonight, Chile's military is helping firefighters attack the blaze by plane, helicopter and on the ground, battling wind gusts up to 37 miles an hour with no end in sight.

Josh Letterman, NBC News. So destructive there. Back in this country, a new NBC News poll out today getting attention. It has President Biden with his weakest showing yet in a hypothetical matchup with former President Trump. The poll comes as immigration is set to dominate Capitol Hill this week. Erin Gilchrist is at the White House with more. Tonight, a new gauge of the fight ahead for President Biden's re-election. Republican frontrunner and former President Donald Trump increasing his lead in a new national NBC News

poll, now up five points in a hypothetical general election matchup. Biden also trailing by double digits on the top issues for voters. Despite a growing economy, Trump is ahead by more than 20 points on that issue. The same goes for crime and violence. The president on the campaign trail is celebrating a win in South Carolina's Democratic primary and spending Sunday night in Vegas ahead of Nevada's nominating contest. He's courting Latino voters, a critical voting bloc with whom our poll shows Biden and Trump tied. Biden also trailing Trump by more than 30 points on immigration and securing the border. The Senate releasing a new bipartisan immigration deal, which if passed, would have the most sweeping reforms to the system in more than

two decades. And those who do not qualify will quickly be returned to their home countries. But it may not stand a chance in the House with Trump pushing Republicans to vote no. The deal they're looking at is terrible. Any Republican that signs it should be ashamed of himself or herself. Is Donald Trump calling the shots here, Mr. Speaker? Of course not. He's not calling the shots. They're not working to find real solutions for the American people. They are following orders from the former president. At the border, Texas Governor Greg Abbott hosting Republican governors who oppose the deal and blasting President Biden. The open border policies that Joe Biden has allowed can no longer be tolerated. Meanwhile, presidential candidate Nikki Haley still making a big push to win the South Carolina Republican primary.

And taking on both frontrunners on SNL. Six cents. Remember that one? I see dead people. Yeah, that's what voters will say if they see you and Joe on the ballot. President Biden released a statement about the new border security deal, saying it's the toughest, fairest set of border reforms in decades, and saying he strongly supports it. Kate. Aaron Gilchrist, thank you so much. Still ahead tonight, deadly carjacking, a former Trump official killed as thieves use violence to steal cars nationwide. Also, remember that terrifying video of a woman trying to save her dog from dog nappers?

There's an arrest in the case. A former Trump official has died after being shot during a carjacking in Washington, D.C. It's the latest in a string of carjackings in the capital city and beyond. Many caught on camera. Jesse Kirsch has details. Following a violent carjacking spree in and around the nation's capital. Tonight, Washington, D.C. is remembering a community leader. The family of Mike Gill says he was shot Monday in his own vehicle and later died. His wife writing, the father of three's sudden departure has left a void in our lives that can never be filled. Last week's series of attacks, just the latest in a rash of carjackings nationwide. In Oakland, California, this car swerved,

blocking the road as a suspect gets out, pulling a gun on this approaching driver, who eventually drives away. In a nearby San Francisco, this car caught on camera flying through trees, flipping over, and crash landing. That vehicle was also carjacked. Despite these headlines, the latest FBI data actually shows an overall drop in violent crime from January through

September last year compared to 2022. That category includes carjackings. The FBI data shows auto thefts, however, did increase in larger American cities. Washington, D.C., however, is not in line with the national trend of violent crimes decreasing. In October, a congressman was carjacked about a mile from the U.S. Capitol. I looked to the left. Somebody had a gun to the right. Somebody had a gun. I had a third guy behind me. You've got to stay calm. Last year, homicides, sex abuse, assaults with a dangerous weapon and robberies were all up in the city compared to 2022. And now Washington is under the microscope again following the death of Gill, who had previously worked in the Trump administration. The former president writing Gill was a special person. His family and friends are

devastated. The federal government must take over D.C. Ongoing challenges for a major U.S. city that tonight is again reeling from senseless violence. Jesse Kirsch, NBC News. We're back in a moment with the FBI's new mission to bust online scammers who promise love, even marriage, but end up stealing your money. Plus, lessons in gratitude, the surprising way these students are honoring their former teachers. The suspect in a high-profile dog napping case we reported on has now been arrested. This was that terrifying video that got a lot of attention across the nation. You see a woman in L.A. clinging on the hood of a car

after someone stole her beloved French bulldog and sped off. She was thrown off and injured. Yesterday, a suspect was finally arrested in the case and charged with robbery. But the dog named Onyx has not yet been recovered. We've reported before on a popular Internet scam where someone gets tricked into a relationship, might even fall in love, but ends up swindled out of all their money. Well, now the FBI is not only trying to capture these criminals, but they're trying to intervene before any money changes hands. Ken Delanian has more. She called herself Anna and she reached out to Barry May over social media.

The Asian woman that supposedly lived in New York on Fifth Avenue. So we just started chatting. Soon, Anna was sending explicit photos. May, divorced and retired, was smitten. She told them they could be together, but there was a catch. If I invested with her or invested in the crypto, then that she could come to me and we could get married. He liquidated his 401k, sending more than half a million dollars, his life savings. Then he got a call from the FBI. They said this is a major fraud situation and I'm not the only one. It turns out May was involved in a common internet scam

and also a new FBI initiative to protect people from financial ruin. The scam is called pig butchering, so named because victims are likened to hogs fattened up for slaughter. It is incredibly devastating, and people are in fact losing all they have. Enticed by the prospect of romance and riches, thousands of people have sent their hard-earned money overseas. I have seen losses well into the $2, $3, $4 million range. James Barnicle runs the FBI's financial crime section.

He says the scams are typically run by organized criminal groups based in Southeast Asia. What kind of losses are we talking about? In 2023, we see well over $3.5 billion of re-reported losses and around 40,000 victims in the United States. Most of that money is never recovered. So now, FBI investigators are trying something different, using sophisticated cyber techniques to identify and warn victims before they lose all their money. Between exploiting intelligence, which would be working with financial institutions, reviewing suspicious activity reports, and have been able to contact victims

and stop them from making further investments. I was about to get a loan from my credit union, and they said, do not do that. I got about $10,000 left in my account to my name. And I've got a daughter at home that's autistic. Is this financial situation affecting the care that you're able to give? Yeah, because I can't afford medicine. The FBI warning came too late for Barry May. What's your message to other folks watching this? Run away. Because 99.9% of the time it's going to be a scam. Kendelanian, NBC News, Washington.

Our thanks to Barry for sharing that story. When we come back, words from the heart. We're going to tell you what these students just did that moved their teachers to tears. There's good news tonight about the power of gratitude and the meaningful way students at one Michigan school surprised their former teachers. Proofread it. Stop by my room. At Roseville Middle School near Detroit, they've put a new twist on a big idea started last year by coach and reading teacher Stacey Earle. And it's perfect. The teachers and staff at one school honoring their students in profoundly moving ways. You light up our classroom with your kindness. Back then we showed you what happened when teachers wrote letters of thanks to students.

If we finish we get free time., the students are taking a turn. These sixth graders going back to their elementary school to thank their former teachers. I haven't seen you in so long. When I needed extra help, you were the teacher that helped me. Thank you. You're welcome. Here you go.

Thank you. Thank you, honey. How are you? You taught me so much stuff about middle school, and you were right. It gets hard sometimes. Hi, honey. Olivia Collins had teacher Janice Litz for kindergarten. Without you, I wouldn't be where I am now.

Me and my siblings are all very appreciative of you. Oh, honey. Hi,. Thank you so much. I can't believe you remember me. This is for you. Thank you. That is so sweet. I cry. Thank you, honey. I was happy to be your student and I'm still to this day grateful for having a teacher like you. You are the reason I wake up with a smile on my face. Sincerely, Asher. Oh, honey, that is so sweet. Thank you.

Can I give you a hug? Oh, thank you. You just made my whole day. More than 50 heartfelt handwritten letters in all. I don't want, I'm not letting her go. Each card leading to hug. Can I hug you? Thank you. I appreciate that. After hug, a meaningful lesson on the power of gratitude. Oh, here he comes. Second grade teacher Jen Sakala has been an educator for more than 30 years. I felt safe in your class.

It was the only class I felt safe in. Thank you, buddy. You're welcome. You know, you made me cry when you played your instrument because you were so talented. When I saw that concert, it touched you. Amazing. Thank you.

This is a hard, difficult job. You put a lot of time, effort, emotions into it. And when somebody appreciates it, it feels good. Quit making me cry. It's these precious moments that Stacey Earle hopes students and staff here will remember forever. Probably the bigger message that I would like everybody to understand or know that you can change a person's life with a small use of words. It's very simple. Thank you so much. So true. Stacey says those letter exchanges have had such an impact that she hopes to make it an

annual tradition and even expand it throughout the whole school district. That is NBC Nightly News on this Sunday. Lester Holt will be with you tomorrow. I'm Kate Snow. For all of us here at NBC News, stay safe. Have a great night.