making news in america this morning, historic storm. >> oh. >> michael roaring ashore, one of the strongest hurricanes to ever hit the united states devastating the florida panhandle. >> i saw an entire home taken off of its foundation and rolled down the street. >> buildings ripped apart. >> we got to go. we got to go. >> a hotel collapsing in front of an abc news crew. new video of the damage left behind. the storm surge surrounding homes and stories of survival beginning to emerge. >> that's when he said, move, move, move, and the door blew open, and the roof flew off. >> and it's not over yet. the storm moving inland overnight battering areas that haven't se a morne inthan 100 years. >> it was terrifying, honestly.

>> the trail of destruction expanding overnight and where the storm is heading right now on this special edition of "america this morning." and good thursday morning, everyone. i'm kendis gibson. >> and i'm lynda lopez in for diane macedo. we begin with the overwhelming destruction across the florida panhandle left behind by hurricane michael. now blamed for at least two deaths including an 11-year-old girl. >> overnight michael weakened to a tropical storm as it moved inland with damaging winds tearing apart georgia. take a look at this middle school gymnasium. this is in panama city, florida. the roof peeled back and two walls just gone. and this neighborhood in st. george, florida, is one of many swamped by floodwaters. wind gusts topping 155 miles an hour inside the hurricane. >> here are some of the wind gusts that were measured on the

ground. 129 miles per hour at tyndall air force base, which sustained significant damage. abc's maggie rulli has the latest for us from panama city beach. maggie. >> reporter: this morning, the panhandle struggling to comprehend the devastation left behind by hurricane michael. >> terrifying, honestly. there was a lot of noise. >> reporter: one of the strongest hurricanes to ever hit the u.s. we're getting our first glimpse of this storm's raw power from above. drone video of panama city shows buildings including a school torn apart by the high winds. >> i saw an entire home taken off of its foundation and rolled down the street. >> so much debris. >> reporter: in mexico city beach, our ginger zee saw 155-mile-per-hour winds. the storm flattening the town just below her window. we felt the eye wall come ashore in panama city beach. >> the whistling and the wind just continues to intensify. >> reporter: as david muir witnessed its strength in nearby

panama city. >> it's going to go. it's going to go. hotel that we have been standing out there, that was the shelter for a category 4 hurricane. that has now come down on those suvs. >> reporter: the storm ripped through florida toppling trees and knocking out power for an expected hundreds of thousands along the way. >> the dumbest thing i've ever done in 77 years is to stay through a hurricane. when they say evacuate again, i'm out of here. >> reporter: many areas are here under mandatory curfews through the night with authorities telling residents now is not the time to risk your lives. now is the time to stay indoors and let first responders do their work. kendis and lynda. >> maggie rulli, thanks so much. well, the red cross estimates that more than 3,000 people did not evacuate. >> some people say there wasn't enough time to get out because michael grew in strength too quickly. most of those who stayed say it was terr

colleen swab, her young daughter and her mother rode out the storm in panama city beach. >> we were told it was going to be a cat 5 when it hit, and by then, yeah, we were terrified, but there was nowhere for us to go, and we couldn't get on the roads. it was too late, so i took my whole family and my daughter, and we packed a food and water cooler and put it in our downstairs closet. we just stayed in there until we thought it was over. thank god we kept having the emergency alerts coming up so we had a pretty good idea how long we should be in the closet for. i had to go upstairs and grab a few things, and i thought the roof was going to come off, so i don't suggest trying to ride out a storm. >> swab says it was too late to get on the road once she realized the storm was going to hit. and after pounding the florida panhandle, michael's damaging winds moved inland. >> overnight strong winds and rain thrashed georgia.

the storm will then move into areas that got drenched last month by hurricane florence. overnight, michael marching inland. more than 50 miles from the coast the storm moving into georgia as a category 3 hurricane. it's the first major hurricane to hit the state since 1898. >> we are not accustomed to the magnitude of a hurricane such as this hitting in the direction that it is traveling and with the intensity with which it will hit our state. >> reporter: local officials expanding the state of emergency as strong winds topple trees and power lines. >> it was terrifying honestly. it was a lot of noise. i mean, we thought the windows were going to break at any time, and we did whatever we could, just kind of hunkered down and tried to wait it out. >> reporter: abc's steve osunsami south of atlanta in macon, georgia, where schools are closed and utility trucks are standing by. >> amazingly there is still power here, and that's because a lot of this downtown area, the power is underground. but as you can see, the wind is blowing quite heavily.

>> reporter: in roberta, georgia, it's believed the hurricane spawned a large tornado destroying at least five homes. next in the storm's path the carolinas bracing for yet another hit. areas of the state devastated by hurricane florence could see tropical force winds. >> north carolina is staring down another powerful hurricane. this time it will be spared the full wrath of the storm. make no mistake, hurricane michael is a dreadful storm and it poses serious risks to north carolina. time now for a closer look at your forecast for this thursday morning. >> kendis, lynda, tropical storm michael still a big concern here. winds of 60 miles per hour moving to the northeast at 20 miles per hour. remember how slow florence was moving, two miles per hour. well, this is a lot different. again, this is trying to leave through the carolinas very quickly.

moving out of georgia but dumping some very heavy rain as seen on our radar, even over places like atlanta and charlotte which are big airline hubs, something to keep in mind for travel. next couple of hours it works into the carolinas. by the time we get into friday morning, it is out to sea. however, note the wind gusts here, we have had some wind gusts of 40 to 50 miles per hour. you add in the rainfall and that wind on top of soggy soil with four to eight inches could mean a lot of trees down and a lot of power outages. kendis, lynda. >> melissa, thanks so much. well, michael is causing hundreds of flight cancellations as well. >> yeah, planes were forced to maneuver around the storm. watch this image. it shows where planes were as the hurricane made landfall and you can see how pilots were forced to go around. that's quite around there. time now for a closer look at your weather for this morning. well, areas not affected by

l are snow in the dakotas. there's a do not travel in one area and hundreds of customers are without power erght. the high today in nearby great falls, montana, will be 46 degrees and 41 in minneapolis. chicago topping out at 49 while detroit will be 10 degrees warmer. temperatures will be in the 70s in the northeast corridor and los angeles and portland will also be in the low 70s. and coming up, the new report showing toxic metal found in jewelry sold at popular retailers. and also ahead, the lawmaker under fire after he's been yanking a microphone from an opponent during a debate. and an alleged attack stopped. where the fbi says a man planned to use a massive bomb on election day.

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we can start doing better than that by simply making sure that that formula increases over time with inflation. >> thank you. oh, i see a rebuttal is required. >> thank you. >> well, that was minnesota state representative duane quam grabbing a microphone from his democratic challenger jamie mahlberg during a debate. when he was done with his rebuttal, quam created a literal drop the mike moment tossing it her way when she wouldn't take it back. he has since apologized saying his nerves got the best of him. >> well, president trump is taking some heat for staying on the campaign trail as hurricane michael ravaged the florida panhandle. >> he had a message for those who were facing the storm as well as a message for pennsylvania republicans. stephanie ramos joins us with the details. good morning. >> reporter: hey, kendis, good morning.

well, president trump was back on the campaign trail last night. he says he didn't want to cancel the rally he hue d disaoint supp. while hurricane michael batters the gulf coast, president trump took the stage at a campaign rally in pennsylvania. >> our thoughts and prayers of our entire nation to everyone in the path of hurricane michael. >> reporter: last night trump was in town to try to boost support for the republican candidates in the state ahead of the midterm elections next month. the president looking back on the 2016 general election in florida and pennsylvania saying the keystone state is the one that got away. >> but every republican thinks they're going to win pennsylvania. i've used an expression. you know there is an expression but under the rules of me too, i'm not allowed to use that expression anymore. i can't do it. it's the person that got away. >> reporter: even though democrats still aren't over the supreme court fight, they're now

focused on the midterms zeroing in on health care and trying to protect the affordable care act. >> what we really are seeing from the trump administration and republicans is an absolutely relentless attempt to gut protections especially for pre-existing conditions. >> reporter: on fox news the president going after the one senator, the late john mccain, who blocked him from repealing the bill. >> one senator late in the evening happened to vote against it, shockingly, even though he campaigned for ten years, for eight years against it. you know, we had it done. it was repeal and replace. >> reporter: even though senate democrats failed yesterday to eliminate the trump administration's short-term health plans, which don't cover pre-existing conditions, senate democrats say they will relentlessly focus on health care as we head into the midterms. kendis, lynda. >> stephanie ramos in washington, thank you. the fbi says it has stopped a plot to set off a massive bomb on washington, d.c.'s national mall on election day.ound

device at suspect paul rosenfeld's home north of new york city. they say that he confessed to the plan and intended to die in the blast. authorities say he wanted to draw attention to his radical political beliefs. nervous investors are keeping a close eye on wall street, which opens this morning at an eight-month low. the dow plunged 831 points with technology stocks taking a hard hit. analysts say investors are especially worried about rising interest rates and tensions over trade. coming up, the latest tropical storm michael as it marches inland. plus, a woman talks about the moment the hurricane blew the roof off her home while she was inside. and an arrest made in a limousine crash that killed 20 people. why the son of the company's owner is now facing charges. owner is now facing charges. thi. ride with this crew. do the wave with these guys. and hang with this little one.

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this hour. search and rescue operations are under way with trees toppled, rooftops just shredded and homes torn from their foundations. more than 500,000 people have no power. michael intensified so quickly that forecasters were caught off guard. >> yeah, and for many residents it was a little too late to evacuate. reporter dave huddleston caught up with some of the people who rode out the storm in panama city. >> reporter: this is amanda. we were going to talk with her about being trapped underneath the walls of her apartment with all of her belongings, but at the last minute she was overcome with emotion. all i could do was give her a hug. >> it was scary. >> reporter: sabrina marshall and her boyfriend were also home in the second floor apartment when hurricane michael broke down their front door and blew the roof off their home. >> i was trying to get a chair jammed under there to keep it closed, and that's when he said, move, move, move, and the door blew open, and the roof flew off. >> reporter: down the street

this waffle house, all the windows blown out after this massive pole holding up a billboard came cshindo. check this out. during the height of the storm, this is what hurricane michael looked like as it blew through panama city trapping my photographer inside his car. once inside the eye of the storm the wind and rain stopped and we could see the damage for the first time. the canopy from our hotel was gone. several owners thought that would be the safest place. tim millar's car was heavily damaged. he is a storm chaser, but he told me he had never experienced anything like michael's wrath. >> you know, i've been in 30 of these, and there was nothing that compares to this. charlie, katrina, wilma, just the sheer intensity and how fast it was moving, it's just -- it's tested me on levels that i didn't think i would ever be tested on as a veteran storm chaser. >> our thanks to reporter dave huddleston. the red cross says many residents did not evacuate. it estimates that more than

300,000 stayed behind. >> and those that did leave may return to find not much left. earlier we spoke to american red cross communications director, stephanie rendon. >> obviously the danger is not over yet. we walked out a little while ago, and we saw that we have downed trees and power lines, and currently i'm standing by a staging area, so we lost power last night, so i'm actually walking around with a headlamp to be able to see in front of me, but this is just a very small glimpse of what folks are experiencing. >> and everyone watching, what can people do if they want to help? >> they can go to www.redcross.org. they can call 1-800-red-cross or text michael to 90999. >> stephanie rendon of the red cross. up next, the other big headlines this morning including the growing number of kids who are coming down with a disorder that could lead to partial paralysis. plus, cracking down on trick-or-treaters. one community's tough rules that will be in effect for halloween.

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olay. health officials say they're concerned about the spread of a rare polio-like illness. nine cases have now been confirmed in illinois. this just days after dozens of cases were discovered in minnesota, colorado and pennsylvania. the disorder is called acute flaccid myelitis or afm and mostly impacts children. what may seem like a cold or strep can quickly turn into those polio-like symptoms. the final good-byes begin today after last weekend's tragic limousine crash near albany, new york. the first services for the 20 victims take place this afternoon. they come a day after limo comp was charged with criminally negligent homicide. hussain is the business owner's

son. prosecutors say he let an improperly licensed driver operate a vehicle that shouldn't have been on the road. and we're learning some new details about the disappearance and possible death of a "washington post" columnist, jamal khashoggi. according to "the post," u.s. intelligence reportedly intercepted information that the saudi crown prince himself ordered an operation to lure khashoggi from his virginia home then detain him. surveillance video shows khashoggi entering the saudi consulate in turkey on october 2nd. but no video has surfaced showing him ever leaving that building. well, your jewelry may be hazardous to your health. the associated press reports pieces are showing up in stores with the toxic metal cadmium in them. those stores include ross and nordstrom rack. the metal can cause cancer, hamper reproduction and damage the kidneys and bones. states have outlawed cadmium in children's jewelry but not in adult items. in a statement, ross says they've addressed the issue with the supplier. nordstrom rack also says they're reaching out to vendors.

well, halloween is getting spooky in chesapeake, virginia. according to the city ordinance, there's a two-hour limit for grabbing up candy. anyone out after 8:00 p.m. can get a fine and 30 days in jail. >> what? >> trick-or-treaters older than 12 risk 6 months behind bars. there's an exception for teens who are out with their younger siblings. but all those adults who are trying to trick-or-treat, no. >> those poor 13-year-olds even. >> what's with the spirit? trying to trick-or-treat, no. >> those poor 13-year-olds even. >> what's with the spirit?

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michael turns deadly. after slamming into florida and sweeping across the southeast. this morning roads are washed away, towns flooded, at least half a million homes and businesses are still in the dark. good morning to you on this thursday, october 11th. >> the destruction across the florida panhandle left behind by hurricane michael is blamed for at least two deaths. michael weakened to a tropical storm overnight as it moved inland with damaging winds. >> maggie rulli live in panama city beach, florida. maggie, how is it this morning? >> reporter: reggie and jessica, the sun is just starting to rise. we are starting to get a glimpse of the destruction. the rescuers say the focus is on recovery and survival.

this morning the panhandle struggling to comprehend the devastation left behind by hurricane michael. >> it was terrifying, honestly. it was a lot of noise >> reporter: one of the strongest hurricanes to ever hit the u.s. we're getting our first glimpse of this storm's raw power from above. drone video shows buildings, including a school, torn apart by the high winds. we felt the eyewall come ashore in panama city beach. the whistling and the wind continues to intensify. david witnessed its strength in nearby panama city. >> it's going to go. it's going to go. you can see the roof of the hotel that we have been standing out there. that was the shelter for a category 4 hurricane. that has now come down to the suvs. >> reporter: the storm whipped through florida, toppling trees, knocking on out power for an expected of hundreds of thousands along the way. many areas here have been through a mandatory curfew

throughout the night. authorities telling people now is not the time to risk their lives. stay inside, wait for the first responders, and let them get out and do their job. maggie rulli, abc 7 news. >> maggie, stay safe. thank you. just for some perspective, this is how the size of hurricane michael compares to the state of california. the storm spanning our entire state from reading to los angeles. it is 4:29. if you'rg up to us, good morning. a quick update on your weather and traffic with mike. >> i'll start with michael. here's a look at what's going on. tropical storm. 50-mile-per-hour winds, accelerating to the northeast at 21 miles per hour. it is just west of augusta, georgia, where the masters is if you're a golfer. look at all the rain ahead of it in front of south carolina, north carolina. it will spend all day raining on the areas that flooded from florence.

it skirts the southern parts of nova scotia and heads to great britain and also france as we head towards the weekend. back here at home, we'll have another cooler than average day. waking up to temperatures in the low to mid-50s. mostly is sunny skies. low to mid-70s around the bay. 60s at the coast. and 50s and 60s, jacket weather, this evening. all right. a check on the commute. however is it starting, alexis? >> well, we have road work slowing you down in hayward area. let's zoom in to southbound 880. it should be wrapping up now. various lanes closed until 4:30 between tenny son and alvarado niles. you are heavy from state route 92. here's a live look at the san mateo bridge. 92 nice and light. approaching the toll plaza there, we actually did just have a problemer