missions underway on the red planet. that does it for us here at 5:00. see you at 6:00. welcome to "world news tonight." millions of americans starting this new year bracing for dangerous flooding. the record-high water on the move tonight, topping levees, destroying homes. right now, the slow-motion disaster and the race to protect the people in its path. president obama taking on gun violence by taking matters in his own hands. his promise to bypass congress. the reaction coming in. the blast in the middle of the night injuring a man asleep in his bed. >> this whole thing is gone. >> the entire neighborhood damaged and you one thing you don't ever want to do if you smell gas in your neighborhood. the new attack on daily fantasy sports. accusations of illegal gambling. the millions at stake. could the companies behind these big bets be forced to pay you back?

and searching for a resolution. the promises we make and try to keep. what's on america's mind this new year? the answers will surprise you. good evening and thank you for joining us on this saturday. i'm cecilia vega. we begin tonight with a threatening start to the new year for millions of americans. at this hour, more than two dozen rivers are on the brink of major flooding. in cape girardeau, missouri, the mississippi river rushed far beyond its banks after cresting to a new record high. workers there racing to build temporary barriers. and take a look at the damage on the ground, whole neighborhoods swallowed up. rivers are rising from missouri down to louisiana, and it will take weeks for that threat to subside. tonight, two states officially declaring emergencies and several others bracing for what's to come. abc's meteorologist indred petersons leads us off tonight.

>> reporter: tonight, the mighty mississippi surging south. parts of missouri under as much as 16 feet of water. more than 11 levees breached. toppling hamlets in olive branch, illinois, where they give up on sandbaging because it's too dangerous. these floods now claiming 24 lives and hundreds of homes. in missouri, the river cresting overnight but still a threat. this is an area locals call the ditch. typically void of water. today, you can see it's coming out of the mississippi and head out of the mississippi and threatening a local power substation. now the race to protect property and save lives. the basketball team in full force filling sandbags all around the community center. how do people feel? >> they're in shock. it's reached its highest since 1993, i think. >> reporter: residents in boats surveying their homes. >> they go to work in the morning, everyone's fine, and they come home eight hours later, and we had water rise four feet. >> reporter: here, you can see

the waters topping fencing, scaling street signs claiming real estate as it moves. this was matt's home before the flood's hit. here, it's parentally submerged and finally swept away by the waters. >> living on the river, you expect floods. but you put stuff high. the river goes down, you wash stuff and carry on. you never expect your house to float away. >> reporter: but you guys are safe. everybody did get out? >>y. yes. everyone got out. the dog is out. important things. >> reporter: it is amazing with all the devastation in the area, i continue to be impressed by the residents here. they are so grateful for what they have and they are keeping that positive attitude. >> that is remarkable given the scene you are standing in. you have been watching the threat all day. so many communities down river on edge right now. who needs to be the most worried? >> reporter: here in missouri they have already seen a record

breaking crest. you're talking about 49 feet of water. everyone south of the area is watching it closely. memphis, a week from now, this water will be headed down the mississippi right in their direction with possible major flooding. vicksburg, baton rouge, louisiana, two, three weeks from now, they could see the rainfall from christmas time coming their way almost a month later. >> it is going to be a long wait for the communities. thank you. we turn now to president obama and his new year's resolution promising to bypass congress and take action on unfinished business, america's epidemic on gun violence. but the nation is divided on whether stricter gun laws is the answer. 47% for and 50% against. abc's jim avila is with the president in hawaii tonight. >> reporter: with many americans flocking to the gun store after the san bernardino attacks, the

white house said today it would be a dangerous and slippery slope for individual americans to arm themselves against terrorists. quote, that's why we have government. and this week, president obama is expected to outline new executive actions that could make it more difficult for the mentally ill, criminals and terrorists to arm themselves with powerful weapons. the president announcing in his weekly radio address he will meet with attorney general loretta lynch monday to see what he can do on his own without violating the second amendment. >> we can protect from inflicting harm on a massive scale. >> reporter: the white house want to limit the number of gun dealers who perform background checks. and stop those on the no fly list from buying guns. ted cruz called it lunacy and donald trump condemned the plan. >> it's not the gun that pulls the trigger. i don't like it. i don't like what he is doing. >> reporter: the president who

is finishing his hawaii vacation tonight, is making more gun control a priority in 2016, his last year in office. the white house saying on the record today, the u.s. will be safer from terrorism if it is harder for terrorists to buy guns. cecilia? >> jim avila in hawaii, thank you. we turn now to donald trump making headlines once again. he is breaking his silence. abc's mary bruce on what he has had to say. >> reporter: tonight, donald trump says he is not the only one who showed up in a terrorist video. >> they used other people to. what do i do? >> reporter: the new video from al shabaab shows trump in a campaign rally calling on a ban to muslims in the u.s. >> donald j. trump is calling for a total and complete

shutdown. >> reporter: trump tonight is standing by his proposal. hillary clinton said that it is okay to ban muslims from strearl by building a wall. we must be vigilant. >> he is isis's best recreter. they going to going to people showing videos of donald trump in order to recruit more radical jihadists. >> reporter: a claim that was never proven. trump blasted clinton and demanded an apology. >> she turned out to be a liar. she's a liar. >> it does validate the spirit of her argument. >> reporter: trump plans to go after both clintons. tweeting today the former president is a hypocrite. meanwhile, the supporters are making themselves heard. interrupting a bempbny sanders

rally and detractors taking to the skies in the rose bowl. donald trump and bill clinton will face off monday with dueling events miles apart. human rights protests in several countries following a mass execution in saudi arabia. in teheran tonight, protesters storming the saudi embassy, setting it on fire. in israel tonight, a massive manhunt for the suspect who killed two people outside of a popular bar in tel aviv. surveillance video shows him pretending to shop at a grocery store before shooting people sitting outside the pub before escaping. today, mourners are paying respect, including benjamin netanyahu.

next to mexico and the so-called affluenza teen, who behind bars there. awaiting deportation and hiring a high profile attorney. but his return to the united states could be delayed weeks or months. philip mena with the latest. >> reporter: tonight, the mexican lawyer from ethan couch is firing back at authorities for swooping in and arresting the teen in puerta vallarta. >> we want an eye for an eye. that is human nature. but the reality is, he hasn't committed a crime in mexico. >> reporter: his high powered mexican attorney arguing the pair was unlawfully detained. >> there was not request by u.s. state department filed. >> reporter: the couches vanishing more than two weeks after ethan failed to check in with his probation officer. he was sentenced for ten years

probation after killing four people while drunk. the affluenza defense, claiming the teen was too spoiled to know right from wrong. this exclusive video showing the family ice life on the run. that is tanya there shopping at a local butcher shop. days later, ethan is spotted there too, buying food and waving to the butcher. just two hours later, he was under arrest. his lawyer telling abc news couch was being whisked away to the airport, u.s. bound, when his team intercepted van, convincing him to sign legal papers, keeping him in mexico for now. tanya is back in the u.s. facing charges. ethan is expected to meet with his lawyer tuesday at this detention center where he could remain for months. philip mena, abc news, new york. next, a new push to shut down the daily fantasy sports websites. the two largest companies sued, accused of illegal gambling.

if this new attempt succeeds, it could mean hundreds of thousands of players who bet big could get their money back. here is abc's marcy gonzalez. >> reporter: tonight, a potentially crippling setback for two giants of daily fantasy sports. >> welcome to the big time. >> reporter: if you played fan duel or draft kings in new york, may be entitled to get your money back. those sites taking more than $200 million in entry fees from at least 600,000 customers here in 2015. in a lawsuit, they asking the companies to pay a fine of up to $5,000 per case. >> i deposited $35 on fan duel and won 2 million. >> reporter: they are accusing the companies of misrepresenting the winnings. >> the new case, they originally deposited money with the daily fantasy companies based on doubling money. which is what the advertisement promises. he says that is a false protect. >> reporter: they added a

lawsuit against the companies in november calling them illegal gambling operations. draft kings responding saying in a statement, like the new york attorney general's original complaint it is based on the fundamental misunderstanding of fantasy sports competitions. fan duel says we are thoroughly disappointed in the actions and we are fight this meritless, amended seat. right now both companies are allowed to operate here in new york. a judge has to decide whether that will continue as the case goes to trial. cecilia. >> thank you. we turn one lucky teenager who lost his way in a hunting trip in utah. he wondered for nearly 30 hours in search of help when his cell phone ran out of power. tonight, for the very first time, we hear his desperate calls to 911. here is gloria rivera. >> i don't feel good. >> reporter: a teenager lost alone in the utah wilderness for

28 agonizing hours. >> i started crying, freaking out. tried to call 911 on the phone. >> reporter: tonight, newly released 911 calls revealing brayden's desperation. >> i feel like i'm going to pass out. >> reporter: the 14-year-old hunter becoming disoriented facing 14 degree temperatures and a dying cell phone. >> i'm on 1%. >> are you still waving your flashlight? >> i am now. >> reporter: he kept walking, keeping his body warm. staving off hypothermia. >> i was trying to keep warm. it couldn't stop shaking. >> reporter: then his phone died. his family is concerned when they heard nothing for five hours. >> there was points i was losing hope. i was -- >> reporter: he covered 11 miles of unforgiven frigid terrain before stumbling into a stranger's home. >> i was seeing blank space in my mind and i felt like i had ten more minutes of life left in

me. >> reporter: treated for hypothermia and frostbite, he believes god led him home where he belongs. >> for the next week, he is sleeping next to me where i can see his face. >> reporter: gloria rivera, abc news, washington. there is more ahead on "world news tonight." up next -- hard to believe this is not the aftermath of a tornado. it is a suspected gas explosion so powerful, it registered on a seismograph as an earthquake. what triggered the disaster and the one thing you should never do if you smell gas in your home. plus the maker of ice cream in so many american freezers under fire tonight. why federal authorities are called in to investigate this popular dessert company.

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so strong, it even registered as an earthquake. tonight, what we are learning about the gas explosion earlier this morning in oklahoma city and what we all need to know to stay safe. here is ron claiborne. >> we have one house that is totally destroyed and on fire. >> reporter: it was just after 3:00 this morning, a house on a quiet street suddenly catching fire and then exploding into pieces. a neighbor shooting this dramatic cell phone video. >> it's completely gone. the whole entire house is completely gone. >> reporter: amazingly, the one person inside the house, asleep in his bed, was brown out in the explosion and survived with only burns. >> we have reports of people who miles away from felt the explosion. >> reporter: the house obliterated and 50 other homes damaged.

>> the windows are busted out. brick walls leaning in. >> reporter: fire officials say just before the explosion, utility workers were in the backyard next door checking a gas leak. the cause of the fire and explosion, still not known. gas leaks can be devastating. a gas explosion destroyed this new jersey home in february. if you ever smell gas, get out of the home immediately. do not turn on lights, a spark can ignite your home. and call your utility. some may never be able to return to their homes. ron claiborne, abc news, new york. how is this for a new year's resolution? win the lottery. tonight's power ball jackpot, the largest in nearly three years. can you guess how many sports cars $334 million gets you? we did the math. and a special set of new year's twins before just three minutes but an entire calendar

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straight now to the index and breaking news about a popular ice cream maker. blue bell creameries is now under criminal investigation by the justice department. the question, whether they knew they were sending out contaminated products in last year's listeria outbreak. three people died. next, ringing in the new year with a mega power ball jackpot. tonight drawing will be worth $334 million. the biggest jackpot in three years. in case you are wondering, that is enough cash to buy a

professional hockey team, open 133 mcdonald's restaurants, rent the entire empire state building for three years or buy a six-figure luxury sports car every week for the next 60 years. good luck with that. next, talk about a new year's eve show stopper. billed as motley crue's final show stopper concert. what could go wrong? well, this. drummer tommy lee stuck upside down on a roller coaster all the way up near the ceiling of the staples center in l.a. it took a few crew members to scale that coaster to get him unstuck and kick start his heart. the new year to greet twins born just three minutes apart. what a difference three minutes make. jaelyn was born december 31st, 2015 and luis, born january 1st, 2016. the twins born a month early. everyone is doing well. dad calls it a new year's

blessing just to have two healthy babies, two adorable babies also. when we come back, do you have your new year's resolution yet? i don't have mine. getting more exercise to sleep, can you guess what the most popular google searches are? here's a hint. pass the kale. s doing. and when i finally told my doctor, he said humira is for adults like me who have tried other medications but still experience the symptoms of moderate to severe crohn's disease. and that in clinical studies, the majority of patients on humira saw significant symptom relief. and many achieved remission. humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal infections and cancers, including lymphoma, have happened; as have blood, liver, and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure. before treatment, get tested for tb. tell your doctor if you've been to areas

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>> finally tonight, it is that time of year again, the high holy days of self-improvement. and thanks to google, we now have a new way to make and break the annual promises. >> three, two, one, happy new year! >> yeah, yeah, happy new year. it is time to get down to business. what's your resolution. >> to be a nicer person in general. do well in school. >> that's good. >> spend less money. >> sure. >> be less cynical. >> that's a good one. >> make kale chips? >> no. why do i want to eat kale.

>> yeah, kale chips. turns out leading up and following new year's day, how to make kale chips is the second most googled question in america. google compiling the list and it is official. we are a nation looking at getting healthier. number one on the list, how to get rid of stress. number six, how to cook cabbage, how to cook broccoli. we are also apparently fed up at work. number four, how to write a resignation letter. how about a new hobby? how to crochet a beanie. >> i don't know, i bought this. >> reporter: if we could figure out how the make the resolutions stick. good luck and happy new year. thank you for watching gma this week. we will see you tomorrow night. thank you for watching. have a great saturday. good night.

unwelcome house guests. a mess left behind at one oakland home. >> fishermen stuck after their boat runs into the rocks. the rescue and how they got stuck. pack your umbrellas. another storm moving into the bay area. drew tells us when it gets here and when to expect it. abc7~news at 6:00 starts right now. liquor bottles on the floor, broken glass and trash everywhere. what a couple in oakland says happened to their home after they invited in a renter from fromairbnb but the rent iris not who he claimed to be. lisa amin gulezian is live with the home on santa clara avenue with new details. this new year's eve blowout

ended with police arresting the man. >> reporter: that is very true. the renter had the party to celebrate not only new year's eve but also, get this, his 18th birthday. this area, which is normally very quiet was packed with kids. neighbors say 200 were all over this play until the police came. here are some photos taken. here cans, cigarette, even pot, all over the house. the renter cleared united states most of the furniture and put it in the bedrooms or in the mayor what was left inside was stepped on and dirt and y and there was plaid on the wall. the home owner says she has represented her house on airbnb a dozen times and never had a problem. she thought she was renting to an adult man visiting from chicago. airbnb requires users to be 18 so she ahead no rein