NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Sunday, September 29, 2024

Episode Date: September 30, 2024

Officials are calling the North Carolina flood disaster ‘unprecedented’; Families try to find those unaccounted for following floods in Tennessee; Chemical plant fire forces evacuations near Atlanta; and more on tonight’s broadcast.

Tonight, we're tracking two breaking news stories. The disaster unfolding in the southeast right now from deadly flooding after Hurricane Helene and mass evacuations from a chemical plant fire outside Atlanta. Dramatic new images from above Asheville, North Carolina. So much of the city underwater. Trucks toppled. Homes, look at that, swept away. More than 1,000 people still reported to be missing across the region. Desperate family members searching for the people they love. The power still out. Cell service down and supplies running low. Plus, our interview with the doctor who helped patients as they were airlifted from this hospital roof as the flood closed in. A huge chemical plant fire outside Atlanta. The smoke seen for miles. People

nearby evacuated or told to shut their windows and shelter in place. Questions now over whether the air is too toxic. Overseas, Israel bombarding southern Lebanon with new attacks after killing the leader of the terror group Hezbollah. The new movements now for the U.S. military. The looming strike that could derail the holiday shopping season. Tens of thousands of dock workers could walk off the job tomorrow night. And there's good news tonight. The military tradition tapping into powerful emotions. This is NBC Nightly News with Hallie Jackson. We're coming on the air with a desperate and devastating scene in parts of the Blue Ridge Mountains, what officials call an unprecedented disaster, with flooding wiping out parts of North Carolina,

including the popular tourist town of Asheville. The urgent rescue missions happening now. Look at our new aerial footage showing the town's almost underwater still. And you can see what it's looked like in the past 24 hours. These two kayaking past what's basically the second floor with water up to the roof line in some spots. Two days after Hurricane Helene hit, a storm that left dozens dead, more than a thousand reportedly missing. And now in eastern Tennessee, the frantic search to find loved ones. These people holding up pictures of their missing family members. Our team in the region speaking with some who say they're getting angry that they're not getting more help.

We have full coverage tonight. Priscilla Thompson's in eastern Tennessee, but we start with George Solis in Asheville. Tonight, western North Carolina is reeling from Hurricane Helene's deadly wrath. Oh my God. And desperately waiting for help. In the city of Asheville, streets are still underwater. Neighborhoods unrecognizable. Oh my God.

Some people kayaking to safety. This home completely surrounded by rushing water. We were there when water rescues got underway. Days after Helene, the River Arts District remains underwater. Everything here a complete loss, just more devastation on top of tragedy. I want to remind all North Carolinians that conditions on the ground remain extremely dangerous, even as flooding has continued. Alyssa Smith's only lifeline during the storm, her Jeep. We weren't prepared for the severity of the storm at all.

Today, the first signs of relief making their way into town. Residents lining up, desperate for resources. Some people waiting up to 30, 40 minutes in line for a chance to get some cash at one of the few working ATMs in all of Asheville. Others like James Workman and Jeannie Adair beginning to get frustrated with the government's response to the catastrophe. At this point, you don't see a FEMA station set up. That's right. And we should. We should have by now. Yeah. Is that concerning? Yeah. We expect more and we can't get out. Down in Florida, residents continuing to assess the damage after taking a direct hit from Helene. In Cedar Key, business owners trying to salvage what's left of their stores.

What Mother Nature can do and the damage is just, it's incredible. Back in Asheville, a community picking up the pieces and preparing for the long road to recovery. This is the worst thing ever. It is the worst thing ever. I don't know if we can rebuild or be able to come back from this. George is joining us now from Asheville. And George, we're just learning President Biden is set to make a trip to the region. Yeah, that's right, Hallie. Late word from the White House that President Biden will visit Helene impacted areas as long as it doesn't impede with search and recovery efforts.

And on that note, you're taking a live look at where water rescues have been ongoing. We've seen teams there on boats looking through what used to be rooftops and cars, seeing if they can find anyone. But tonight, the big question for so many in this community is when that federal help will get here on the ground. Allie? Some very scary scenes there out of Asheville. George, thank you. Just over the border in hard-hit eastern Tennessee, flooding swallowed up entire neighborhoods, with tonight dozens of people unaccounted for, their loved ones desperate for any news. Priscilla Thompson is in Irwin. The Tennessee Department of Health has confirmed two weather-related deaths.

The death toll in Tennessee rising as officials say more than 70 people remain missing. Her sister called her family to say goodbye because they knew they weren't going to make it. Loved ones in Irwin holding photos of the missing still desperate for answers nearly three days after floodwaters rushed in. Across the region unfathomable damage. Red Cross choppers flying in to help. That sound, a harrowing reminder for Dr. Sean Oceanbine. What's it like for you being back here? It's painful. Returning to the Unicoi County Hospital for the first time today since this dramatic rescue. More than 60 patients taken by helicopter. Ocean Vine, the last to leave.

There were literally flowing rapids, probably six inches to a half a foot to a foot high, flowing within the building. And every team member, even with that, were pushing those gurneys to get them out through the doors, to get them back into an eddy behind the hospital. And that's where we use ladders from the fire truck to get on the roof. So you all hoisted those patients onto the roof? Yes, ma'am. Yes, we did. Some of us carried individual patients on our backs.

We just didn't know how much time we had. All made it out safely. As tonight, the focus remains on finding the missing. We have team members we don't know where they are. We will find them. Priscilla is joining us now from Tennessee. So Priscilla, where do those search and rescue efforts stand as we speak? Well, Holly, search and rescue teams have been combing areas like this. You see this van completely overturned, a car back there almost entirely submerged. As

nightfall approaches, those efforts are done for today but are expected to resume again tomorrow. Hallie. Priscilla Thompson, thank you. A huge fire at a chemical plant near Atlanta tonight has forced people out of their homes and shut down a major interstate with questions now over just how safe that air is to breathe. Dana Griffin has the latest. Tonight, a hazard in the air. Thick gray and orange smoke billows from a chemical facility in Conyers, Georgia, after a fire today forcing nearby residents to evacuate. Please spread the word to stay away from this area at this point. The interstate, as you can see, is back up. Shelter in place. Keep your doors and windows closed.

In the event the winds shift, this thing can change really quickly. Officials say around 5 a.m. today, as employees were inside, a sprinkler malfunctioned, causing a chemical to start the blaze, which is now out and was contained to the roof. I do not know the specific type of chemical, but only that it is water reactive. The company saying in a statement, our team is on the scene working with first responders and local authorities to assess and contain the situation. No one was injured.

The Environmental Protection Agency is now conducting air monitoring. Law enforcement pulling out respirators as a precaution. This isn't the first chemical scare at the bio lab facility that manufactures pool and spa products according to the u.s chemical safety board in 2020 a plume of hazardous chemicals was released since i've been a part of rockdale county for seven years this is probably the third incident of this magnitude no timetable yet on when the area will be safe. Dana Griffin, NBC News. To the Middle East tonight, a new fallout from the killing of the Hezbollah leader in Lebanon.

Its ally, Iran, now pledging revenge. Matt Bradley reports. Tonight, Israel's attacks on Hezbollah continue and Iran threatens revenge as a battered Lebanon scrambles to dig itself out from underneath rubble and those left without homes scramble to find shelter. There was a strike and we fled our houses, said this man. We went out with my children running in the streets. We left our belongings behind. In the weeks since Israel expanded its offensive, Lebanon's government estimates about a million people have fled their homes across the country.

This is the largest displacement number to happen in the region, said Lebanon's prime minister. Under the ruins of Beirut, recovery workers unearthed the body of Hezbollah's slain leader, Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in a series of huge explosions in a southern suburb of the capital two days ago. The death of Nasrallah, who was venerated throughout the Arab and Muslim worlds, shocked Lebanon and dealt a body blow to regional politics. Many here dread a potential Israeli ground invasion, something the Biden administration says it's trying to avoid. Can an all-out war in the Middle East be avoided? It has to be. We really have to avoid it. We're not there yet, but we're working like hell with the French and many others.

But Israel's leaders have said its war isn't with Hezbollah alone, but with Iran-backed militant groups throughout the Middle East. And today, more evidence of an expanding war. Israel fired missiles at the port city of Hodeidah in Yemen, where Iran-backed Houthi rebels have fired missiles at Israel, likely sparking this huge fire. Matt Bradley is joining us now from Beirut. And Matt, with tensions as high as they are, what's the status of U.S. troops in the region? Yeah, well, Hallie, the U.S. already has 40,000 troops in the region. And today, the Pentagon increased the readiness of additional forces to deploy. Hallie? Matt Bradley, thank you.

Still ahead tonight, a potential shipping supply nightmare. How a looming dock worker strike could affect what you buy for the holidays. Plus, the rescue mission in outer space. The ride home for those stranded astronauts just getting there to pick them up. Following breaking news about NASA's mission to bring back those stranded astronauts. In just the last hour, their ride home arrived at the International Space Station. The SpaceX Crew 9 will return Americans Butch Wilmore and Sonny Williams to Earth. The two have been stuck in space since June after problems with their own Boeing ship. But they

won't come home right away as the astronauts who just arrived need to complete their scheduled rotation. It means they're all going to return in February. Negotiations now going down to the wire ahead of a possible strike that could mean more shipping delays before the holiday shopping season. Dock workers at some of the country's busiest ports are set to walk off the job if they don't get to a deal by tomorrow night. Alison Barber reports. Just hours from now, a potential major strike sparking fears that parts of the U.S. economy could come to a standstill. Thousands of dock workers threatening to walk off the job from Boston and New York all the way down to New Orleans and Houston. The International Longshoremen's Association represents 85,000 workers in these critical port cities.

A strike could cost up to $4.5 billion per day. These ports carry everything from canned goods to car parts to electronics, and a walkout would force major stores, including Walmart, Home Depot, and Ikea, to find other ways to get their products into the U.S. The workers are at an impasse tonight over a new six-year contract demanding higher wages and more protections against automation. In recent weeks, the union boss defiant. I'll shut them down throughout the world to prove that we can beat them. The alliance pushing back, blasting what they call the union's repeated refusal to come that we can beat them. The alliance pushing back,

blasting what they call the union's repeated refusal to come to the table and bargain. Are you worried this could crush the supply chain ahead of the holiday shopping season? The longer a strike goes, the longer it's going to take to recover, the more of a potential impact it has. President Biden has the power to break a strike, but the White House says he is not considering it. Why not? Because it's collective bargaining. Ellison is joining us now from New Jersey. And Ellison, as of right now, there is currently not a meeting that is set before this deadline is supposed to hit, right? Yeah, that's right. And the two groups haven't formally met since June. If there is a strike, the National Retail Federation tells us that for

everyday workers are on strike. It's going to take three to five days for the supply chain to recover. Hallie. Alison Barber, thank you. When we come back, what exactly happened when we asked swing state voters to fill out this sign? What it means for who could win the White House come November? We are back with sad news about legendary entertainer Chris Christopherson. He was a beloved Hall of Fame country singer and songwriter and the voice behind hits like Sunday Morning Coming Down. He made a turn on the silver screen with Barbra Streisand in the film A Star is Born. Christopherson was also an activist and military veteran serving in the army. He died at his home in Hawaii yesterday. Chris Christopherson was 88 years old.

To politics now, and the issue that tops the list of concern for most voters, the economy. How voters feel about it could be the deciding factor in who wins the White House in November. So earlier this week, we headed to eastern North Carolina to ask voters, in their own words, how they feel the economy's doing. Hi, lady. In this key swing county. We're with NBC News.

Nice and big, right here. In Battleground, North Carolina. There's no right answer, there's no wrong answer. We showed up with a whiteboard and a question. But how would you fill this in? What do you think, sir? The economy is? First word that comes to mind, just nice and big right there. I don't

think I'm allowed to write that word. And we heard plenty. Pathetic. Hard. I think doing okay. From terrible to getting better. I think it's strong. I mean, the whole economy is not just consumer prices. No, it's not, that person says. From struggling... Real people are feeling much more pain than what the 401ks or the IRAs might be showing. To booming... I feel like money's flowing, people are spending money. I don't have any complaints, I'm a small business owner. And we heard one word again and again.

It sucks. Renee Governell plans to vote for Donald Trump. Because everything is more expensive. Everything is just so much more expensive than three and a half years ago. Yes. On that point, Glendora Fonestock-Sutton agrees. Do you feel that pinch economically? Absolutely.

Tell me about that. It's rough on everybody. Like, housing is up, groceries are expensive, everything. And our paychecks don't live up to it. But she's planning to vote for Kamala Harris. Nice and big right here. The whole thing may feel, well, complicated. It's very, very complicated and there are no quick and easy solutions.

In our newest poll, NBC News asked people all over the country the same open-ended question. The economy is, and by a two-to-one margin, the response is negative. Walk me through some of the dynamics at play right now. We sat down with our senior business correspondent, Christine Romans, at where else? A kitchen table to talk through it. If the experts you talk to, if economists were to boil down how the economy is doing into a single word on our whiteboard, what word would that be? If economists were to boil down how the economy is doing into a single word on our whiteboard, what word would that be? If economists were to boil it down, they would say resilient.

They'd say strong. Some would say historic. The unemployment rate, 4.2 percent. Inflation at its lowest rate in more than three years. And the markets setting record highs. But higher prices at the grocery store, for example, aren't dropping back down as quickly as many want. The problem is there are pieces inside the economy that cause real Americans at their kitchen table paying their bills. They feel like they can't get ahead. And those things are child care. They're elder care. They are concerns about Social Security. Experts call it a vibe session, the disconnect between how the economy is and how it feels for some clearly a mixed bag. Hey there, sir. Thumbs up, thumbs down. The economy is thumbs up and a thumbs down right behind him. From bad to great, more than just a feeling, the reality for many Americans.

Who wants to do the writing? With one word, this election season, top of mind, money. That's why I always vote with my wallet. Wallet first. You vote with your wallet. Wallet first. All right, battleground voters in their own words as November closes in. When we come back, there's some good news tonight about a military tradition you may not have heard of, but that's hard to forget. There's good news tonight about the

strength and humanity of the members of our military and the emotional rite of passage that can bring them to tears. A time-honored military tradition going back generations. One of several ceremonies marking the end of basic training. It's called the tap out celebrating the grueling hard work of recruits far from home and mostly cut off from communication as they enter a new phase of service graduates required to stand still showing no emotion until a loved one taps them on the shoulder many moved to tears like Tatum Harr, who was tapped out by her big sister Kayla, meeting her newborn nephew for the very first time. The sisters had never been apart.

I was trying not to cry, but when you hold somebody that close to you, who means something that much to you, it's the best feeling in the world. Paulina Rendon's family traveled thousands of miles to tap her out together by putting their hands over her heart. Her sister, Jacqueline, sharing more. And why did you all decide to do it at the same time like that? Because we, since we are very united, you know, we all miss you and we are here for you, you know. Support like that, priceless for Airman Cameron Wood. Falling into the arms of mom Amber after more than a month apart. And sharing a hug with dad Kermit, too.

It's like having that support system back that you've been missing for seven and a half weeks. Well, you finally meet the young man that you dropped off at MEPS. And you see that the man that he's become, it's a total transformation. That's where I get emotional. He's ready to face the future. You can see how proud we are of him. So many proud families. That's nightly news for this Sunday.

Stay right here. We've got Sunday night football up ahead with the Buffalo Bills taking on the Ravens in Baltimore. I'm Hallie Jackson. For all of us here at NBC News, thanks for watching and have a great week. We've got Sunday night football up ahead with the Buffalo Bills taking on the Ravens in Baltimore. I'm Hallie Jackson. For all of us here at NBC News, thanks for watching and have a great week.