good morning, america. monster hurricane ida hours away from landfall packing 140 plus-mile-per-hour winds and up to 20 inches of rain inundating the coast with a wall of water. >> it is an unsurvivable storm surge. >> residents boarding up homes and heading out of harm's way. highways and airports packed. "gma" bringing you coverage from new orleans to baton rouge to lafayette as ida gets ready to deal a devastating blow. breaking overnight in afghanistan, the new urgent warning from the u.s. embassy citing a credible threat to security, telling all u.s. citizens to stay away from kabul airport, and "gma" is in germany with evacuated afghans starting a new life. >> over 20,000 afghan evacuees have come here to ramstein.

>> as we learn more about our fallen troops including a dad-to-be and this marine who loved her job. hospitals overwhelmed. medical centers in the south dealing with twin emergencies, overrun with covid patients and now bracing for a hurricane. the crisis situation this morning. massive wildfire. yemen att. there was a missile and drone strike on a key military base. at least 65 others were injured. who officials think is responsible. and game, set, match. tennis fans are welcomed back to the largest annual sporting event in the world. the big names to watch this year at the u.s. open, and the protocols in place for the big tennis return. good morning. dan has the morning off. happy to have janai with us on the desk again this morning. we have a lot to get to as we

come on the air. we are getting a frightening look at this image of hurricane ida as she bears down on the gulf coast. the effects of ida already being felt, those outer bands whipping the area for hours overnight. hurricane warnings are up for most of the louisiana coast as well as parts of mississippi. >> and ida is coming ashore exactly 16 years to the day after hurricane katrina devastated louisiana, mississippi and other parts of the gulf. that storm killing 1,800 people. yesterday airports were packed with people hoping for a flight out. that is not an option this morning. all flights out of new orleans have been canceled, and highways out of the danger zone have been jammed up with cars filled with people hoping to avoid the storm. >> the national hurricane center is warning that ida will bring life-threatening storm surge, potentially catastrophic wind damage and flooding rainfall starting today. we have team coverage. victor oquendo in new orleans, trevor ault in lafayette and

matt gutman in baton rouge. but first let's get the latest on the storm's strength and position and track from our ginger zee in new orleans. ginger, good morning to you. >> reporter: this breeze will become gnarly winds. this is now 150-mile-per-hour max sustained winds, a strong cat 4. just 6 miles per hour short of cat 5. category is not the only thing though. it is coming. the brunt should be felt in new orleans, that area will see 16 feet of storm surge. it's going to torture everybody from the boot of louisiana, mississippi into alabama even pensacola under a tornado watch. little spin up tornados can form. now the track, right, where does it go after? right over baton rouge, just

west of new orleans. the closer we get to the dirty side, the eye wall the worst it's going to be in new orleans. i think homa, anybody south of there, a couple little towns that don't have levee protection or water able to pump out, that's where you'll see live-threatening storm surge. the damaging winds from new orleans even up to mississippi. jackson, you're included in that range. guys, this is something don't want to mess with. unfortunately the window to leave has closed. guys? >> we'll keep track of that, ginger. now to the evacuations and other preparations going on right now in new orleans. abc's victor oquendo is there. good morning to you, victor. >> reporter: good morning, eva. the national guard has been activated ahead of the storm. er

ground and here are some of the 164 high water vehicles already in place and they also have helicopters ready to assist in search and rescue. at this point, there is no time left to evacuate, and there was a lot of concern for anyone who's going to be riding out hurricane ida outside of the levee protection system. the president of jefferson parish calling the expected storm surge unsurvivable. in new orleans, there was no mandatory evacuation. the mayor explaining the storm developed so quickly they didn't have the mandatory 72 hours notice to issue one. we met locals making final preparations, boarding up their businesses, getting supplies and filling up on gas. all eyes will be on the levees. they have been upgraded since they failed during hurricane katrina. the mayor says she's confident in the system in place. as is louisiana's governor telling residents this is not the same state it was 16 years ago, but the system will be put to the test. he also warned that ida will be one of the strongest storms to hit the state since the 1850s. all of this happening during what doctors described to me as the worst covid surge since the beginning of the pandemic, but

much like the levee system, hospitals here have been hardened since katrina, updating things like water, sewage and electricity. for anyone riding this one out, the national weather service warning that conditions are going to deteriorate into the night and once the tropical storm force winds move in, first responders will be buttoning down and they will not be able to get to you. whit? >> facing a layer of challenges there. victor, thank you. the huge storm will be impacting millions along the gulf coast. our trevor ault is on the ground there in lafayette, about 130 miles from new orleans. trevor, good morning. what's happening where you are? >> reporter: well, good morning, whit. if you're in lafayette this morning, you'll see a whole lot of this. pump after pump tapped out and bagged up. this station alone has 36 pumps that have run dry and are now out of service. they've got in a little bit of only regular fuel. they're already starting to grab

it here. the reason we're seeing gas stations solo is people are stocking up and troves of people trying to get out of this storm. as we were heading in yesterday from houston, we saw miles and miles of vehicles lined up going westward on i-10 to the texas state line. we're talking 240 miles west of new orleans. here in lafayette they've been testing out their water pump systems. they know ida is putting them to the test. we're on the western portion of the storm. we're expecting about a foot of rain and high risk of flash flooding. janai? >> certainly some wide ranging impacts there. trevor, thank you so much. joining us now is the mayor president of baton rouge, sharon weston broome. mayor president, this is already a category 4 storm. that's looking to be even stronger than initially forecast, and it's still intensifying.

what are you hearing this morning about how hard baton rouge will be hit? >> well, of course, we're concerned, janai, about the impact. we're prepared. we are anticipating of course, that these weather events are unpredictable, and our main focus is being prepared for whether it's a hurricane 4, a hurricane 3 or a hurricane 1. >> and with the potential of over 15 inches of rain, wind gusts up to 70 miles per hour there, what are you telling your residents this morning about what they can do to prepare? is it too late to leave home? >> yes. we're encouraging our residents right now to shelter in place, to stay in communication with us. we will be announcing one of our shelters this morning for individuals who need shelter. we have communication lines that

are open at our text message alert system. we want our people to take this very seriously, and of course, we're asking people to understand that there may be power outages in the baton rouge area. it's so important for them to have three days of supplies for their families, and hopefully everyone accomplished this yesterday, by the end of yesterday evening. >> we have been calling these twin disasters that you are bracing for. it only adds to the covid concerns that your city is facing right now. how concerned are you about the hospital situation due to the pandemic? >> i have to be concerned about the hospital situation because right now we're at capacity, and that's why we have been imploring our residents, especially those who are not vaccinated, to get vaccinated, but here we are right now in the middle of navigating a hurricane. if people have to go into shelters, they will be tested and if they are covid positive,

they will be isolated. >> mayor president, sharon broome, thank you so much for talking with us this morning. we know it's a busy morning for you and hoping that you stay safe. >> thank you so much, janai. >> we'll have more from matt gutman in our next half hour as that city continues to deal with the covid crisis and brace for the hurricane. eva? now to the other major story we're following this morning. the u.s. withdrawal from afghanistan. president biden and the first lady arriving at dover air force bed as the bodies of the service people killed in kabul arrive home. julia macfarlane is covering the story for us from london. good morning, julia. >> reporter: good morning, eva. that's right, we are entering the last two days before that withdrawal deadline, but the risk is not letting up. as you say, the president warning there could be another attack on the airport even as the final evacuations take place. overnight, a new alert issued to americans around kabul airport citing a specific credible threat to security.

the embassy warning u.s. citizens should avoid traveling to the airport and avoid all airport gates at this time. president biden issuing an urgent warning that another terrorist attack remains highly likely, and the pentagon echoing that danger as the final withdrawal of u.s. troops is under way. the circumstances on the ground as dire as ever. >> the threats are still very real. they're very dynamic and we are monitoring them literally in realtime. >> reporter: this comes after the u.s. carried out a drone strike just over 24 hours ago. an unmanned drone in afghanistan killing two members of the terror group, isis-k. a planner and a facilitator and injuring another. no civilian casualties have been reported. individuals are no longer walking on the face of the earth, that's a good thing. it's a good thing for the people of afghanistan. it's a good thing for our troops and our forces at that airfield. >> reporter: the u.s. air strike in retaliation for thursday's suicide bombing that took the

lives of 170 afghan civilians and 13 u.s. service members. president biden vowing to avenge them earlier this week. >> we will not forgive. we will not forget. we will hunt you down and make you pay. >> reporter: the president now announcing that strike would not be the last. the pentagon releasing the names of the 13 service members killed in the bombing. 11 marines, a navy hospital corpsman and an army soldier. the president this morning traveling to dover air force base toice members as their bod arrive home to the united states. david lee espinoza of texas enlisting in the marines straight from high school. >> as a mother, you know, it's hard, but he did serve. he did do what he wanted, but i's hard. >> reporter: 20-year-old marine rylee mccollum just three weeks away from becoming a new father.

>> he loved his family. he loved his wife. he was a wrestler. he knew he was going to be a marine his whole life. >> reporter: lance corporal kareem nikoui, his heartbroken mother writing, this is my hero. i'll never get to hug him again. and marine sergeant nicole gee of california, posting this picture from kabul just days ago comforting an afghan baby writing, i love my job. and guys, look, if the conflict and the threat of covid wasn't enough, millions of afghans are now also facing dire food insecurity. united nations world food program warning that vital food stocks supporting half the population could start running out through september. janai? >> julia, thank you so much for those updates. now to the u.s. air base in ramstein, germany where afghan refuge hbe first step in starting a new life. will reeve is there giving us an inside look at the base. will, good morning.

>> reporter: janai, good morning. over 20,000 afghan evacuees have come through here at ramstein air base, and yesterday we got a tour of the base and an inside look at this extraordinary mission. this morning, a daring rescue mission under way as thousands of afghans arrive at this air force base in germany. ramstein air base, a critical transfer point in one of the largest u.s. air lifts in history. since the mission began, over 111,000 people have been evacuated from afghanistan, including 5,400 americans. this man fled kabul alone in a harrowing journey. >> they attack everybody with the sticks, with guns, with everything that they had on their hands. especially mine, they hit me also they had a gunfire that there was a spot on my hands. >> is that from a bullet? >> yeah, yeah, this is a bullet. >> reporter: distraught families making the impossible decision to flee the place they once called home. >> we have no other choice.

so you have to leave because of our lives are in danger. we had to leave our country and come here just because of our children's future. >> reporter: over 20,000 afghan evacuees have come here to ramstein. they go through medical processing here. there's a lot of waiting. they don't know when they're going to be leaving or where they'll be going, but the processing starts here. the humanity of it all is a weight to bear for the soldiers tasked with the afghans' safety. what's the emotional impact on you? >> it's a heavy burden seeing those soldiers come off that air medical evacuation airplane. it's a heavy burden seeing little babies that are, you know, tired, that are crying, that are hungry, that are weary, and that's a heavy burden because each and every single one of those are my responsibility. >> reporter: many evacuees here unsure of the future or of what they left behind. >> i feel deeply sorry, depressed about my family. i haven't made any connection with them. i don't know whether they're safe or not.

>> reporter: officials here say the base is almost at capacity, but they are still going through the process of trying to get as many folks out as they can. there were five flights out yesterday, another ten scheduled for today, and it will keep processing everyone as they move them to their resettlement locations. whit? >> really get a sense of the human toll on the evacuees and the monumental task ahead. let's turn now to abc news chief global affairs anchor martha raddatz who is also hosting "this week" later this morning. martha, good morning. it's always good to speak with you. you have been to afghanistan many times over the course of this 20-year war, and now as the final hours count down, the u.s. embassy issued another warning to stay away from the kabul airport. president biden saying another attack is highly likely in the next 24 to 36 hours. how would you characterize the magnitude of what's at stake here? >> reporter: it's almost impossible to characterize that, whit. it is so enormous, and the stakes are so high, and right

now think of the people who will reeve just spoke to right there, so many left behind, and in this very urgent evacuation with only two days left, they have this -- this ongoing threat, a very, very serious threat and basically telling people to stay away from the airport. so that will make it all that more complicated to get these last evacuees out. as you know, there are many, many efforts going on with former military, with former cia. all of these people in realtime that i have been watching for weeks now trying to get afghan allies out of there before the taliban takes over completely on tuesday. we also know there are no plans really on september 1st on how to keep that airport open, making it even more complicated to get really those desperate, desperate afghans out of there. >> literally counting down the hours and minutes here. later this morning, you'll be interviewing secretary of state

antony blinken. he's faced criticism for his handling of all of this. a big looming question here is what happens after that august 31st deadline? you mentioned september 1st. but what capabilities does the u.s. have if we still need to get thousands, hundreds of allies and americans out of the country? >> reporter: you know, the administration keeps saying, look, they'll just keep putting pressure on the taliban. they'll figure out a plan, but it's yet -- we haven't really heard what that plan is. there really isn't a plan in place. they're negotiating with people to try to keep the airport open, to try to help the taliban keep that airport open. e las e almost impossible and incredibly dangerous. this is all happening in realtime, whit. they are just trying to figure out what to do next, and at the same time with that huge threat. >> so much at stake. martha raddatz, thank you again this morning. we appreciate it. be sure to watch "this week" later on this morning.

as we noted, martha interviews secretary of state antony blinken about the race to evacuate americans and allies from afghanistan before that august 31st deadline. plus, dr. anthony fauci discusses the latest plan for coronavirus booster shots. eva? breaking news, the yemen military is saying 30 troops were killed and 65 wounded in a drone attack on the military base. they say ale larnded in the base's training area. officials believe rebels are responsible for the attack on the base. the houthis have not commented. time now for our check of the weather. let's go back to ginger zee in new orleans with more on ida, and those hurricane alerts. good morning again, ginger. >> reporter: we just saw a tornado watch posted. we'll see the possibility from mobile and pensacola to new

orleans. it's the core of the storm where we get the most concern, the immediate risk to life and property. i think people will be without power for weeks. watch this as we time it out. it approaches and makes landfall around noon or after. 127-mile-per-hour gusts at grand isle, and the closer we get to new orleans will be the worst. look at baton rouge picking up the numbers there. it's not going to stop when it hits land. together. but then it lkse a ooding fromo mississippi even front. we have big issues extended

>> reporter: today is the anniversary of katrina. we'll see landfall of a strong storm, but we can't compare them exactly. i'll show you why. >> all right, ginger. we'll talk to you soon. we'll stay on top of it there. there's also other severe weather we're following now. gusty winds, dry conditions this weekend hindering efforts to contain that massive wildfire threatening lake tahoe. the caldor fire raging just southwest of the nevada destination there. fire commanders saying the effort will take longer than expected, hoping they will have full containment by the end of the first week in september.

and coming up, last minute preps as hurricane ida bears down on the gulf coast this morning and that rush to get out of harm's way. and how hospitals already overwhelmed by the pandemic are now dealing with the massive storm threat. and we're just one day away from the start of the u.s. open. new pandemic protocols in effect this year, but unlike 2020, there will be fans in the stands. stay with us. we'll be right back. "good morning america" sponsored by carmax. the way it should be. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [on your mark. get set.] [cymbal crashes decisively] done! i'm done! ♪ ♪ get a usainly fast online offer on your car in two minutes or less.

stop! clearing breakouts doesn't have to be harsh on your sensitive skin. new cetaphil gentle clear contains balanced formulas that gently clear breakouts and soothe sensitive skin. cetaphil. complete acne care for sensitive skin. now in the acne aisle. cetaphil. complete acne care for sensitive skin. bro, one more time. worth of drip but i'm cut from a different cloth. tell my competition lay low. jif peanut butter. that flow crazy. it's that jif'ing good, ludacris changed his flow for it. ♪ ♪ ♪

people everywhere living with type 2 diabetes are waking up to what's possible with rybelsus®. ♪ you are my sunshine ♪ ♪ my only sunshine... ♪ rybelsus® works differently than any other diabetes pill to lower blood sugar in all 3 of these ways... increases insulin when you need it... decreases sugar... and slows food. the majority of people taking rybelsus® lowered their blood sugar and reached an a1c of less than 7. people taking rybelsus® lost up to 8 pounds. rybelsus® isn't for peopl with type 1 diabetes. don't take rybelsus® if you or your family ever had medullary thyroid cancer, or have multiple endocrin neoplasia syndrome type 2 or if allergic to it. stop rybelsus® and get medical help right away if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, severe stomach pain, or an allergic reaction. serious side effects may include pancreatitis.

tell your provider about vision problems or changes taking rybelsus® with a sulfonylurea or insulin increases low blood sugar risk. side effects like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may lead to dehydration, which may worsen kidney problems. wake up toyb rel. ♪ please don't takeay as $10 per prescription. ask your healthcare provider about rybelsus® today. your skin isn't just skin, it's a beautiful reflection of everything you've been through. that's why dove renews your skin's ceramides and strengthens it against dryness for softer, smoother skin you can lovingly embrace. renew the love for your skin with dove body wash. (vo) the pursuit of prey. it's a shared instinct for a lynx and your cat. your skin and so is their desire for meat. that's why there's blue wilderness, created... to satisfy a cat's craving for meat. feed your cat's wild spirit with blue wilderness.

[swords clashing] - ... arthritis. gh full prescription-strength? reduces inflammation? thank the gods. don't thank them too soon. kick pain in the aspercreme. (relaxing music) [voice] and exhale. don't thank them too soon. hey google, play from beginning. [voice] welcome. [narrator] google pixel 4a with 5g and pixel buds from $499 and $99. it's another day. and anything could happen. it could be the day you welcome 1,200 guests and all their devices. or it could be the day there's a cyberthreat. get ready for it all with an advanced network

and managed services from comcast business. and get cybersecurity solutions that let you see everything on your network. plus an expert team looking ahead 24/7 to help prevent threats. every day in business is a big day. we'll keep you ready for what's next. comcast business powering possibilities. >> building a better bay area, moving forward, finding solutions. this is abc 7 news. kate: silicon valley pride wraps up today with ape parade and another festival. this year's theme is love and -- the festival grounds open at

noon atve a cocktail lounge with plant -- with lots to eat and drink. lisa has been here tracking the weather. how is the air quality going to be out there? lisa: it has improved and it is following the fog imprint from san francisco to oakland. still looking at the heavy smoke inland, but there is a look at the fog. 65 in san jose, looking at cooler weather today even the south bay, it is in the 50's in the north bay.

welcome back to "gma" on this sunday morning. we begin with breaking news as ida continues to gather strength just hours before making landfall. this monster hurricane is now a high end category 4 with 150-mile-per-hour plus winds ready to tear up the gulf coast. up to 20 inches of rain expected to inundate the coast. residents boarding up homes. highways and airports packed as people try to get out of harm's way. >> and we have had crews all along the gulf coast. abc's matt gutman is in baton rouge where people have been evacuating the area as well as preparing for this monster storm. matt, good morning. >> reporter: hey, good morning, whit. the eye of that storm is going to pass right over baton rouge. you can see the first bands of

rain coming in right now. rain is going to be a major concern. that's the mississippi river. lots of areas around here prone to flooding. last night -- you don't see that many stores boarded up. people were still bars. the mayor saying the time to evacuate has passed. something else she noted and health officials are saying the same thing, they're trying to manage the covid crisis and this storme storm. hospitals at capacity. they're trying to make sure they have enough room for the injured after the storm and keeping everybody safe. i drove in from houston last night. i saw that epic 200-mile long traffic jam at the texas/louisiana state line. i had to stop five times to get gas. there was one pump operating at

a gas finally was able to eke out ten gallons, but saw the looks on the faces of parents there. their cars packed with kids and their belongings, desperate. desperately hoping they can get out of town and far enough. there will be some very intense hours ahead in this part of louisiana. eva? >> as people try to get to safety, try to get further up for dry land. let's check in with ginger who's in new orleans watching ida's every move from an area devastated by hurricane katrina 16 years ago to the day. i guess the question a lot of people are asking is how are a lot of things different now versus back then? >> reporter: this is a part of the country that takes hurricanes seriously. 16 years ago today they were terrorized by hurricane katrina. let me remind you why ida is not another katrina. look at the line that

took, went from south to north. pushing water and the biggest surge into mississippi. it really was a mississippi storm. then you want to put ida on there, it's a different angle and it's stronger. making landfall likely. i think wind will be a bigger issue for new orleans and areas up to baton rouge. it's going to be all about the storm surge south. either way, the engineering is different. new orleans is different. as we found out in the ninth ward they are still rebuilding. yes, 16 years later. they're trying to do it sustainably and fairly. 16 years to the day after katrina and the infamous ninth ward has less than 40% of their pre-katrina population. there are still houses -- >> yes. >> -- that are not back. >> yes. >> 16 years later. 16 years.

>> yep. when you look at this house here for example, you kind of imagine what it looked like when i guess it was fairly new. >> reporter: arthur johnson knows the ninth ward's history and wants to change its future. >> this was the area historically that more white people lived in. black people were allowed to build on the lower nine, but on the other side, below sea level. >> reporter: those geographic inequities gave way to white flight in the 1960s and a suburban oasis in the city of new orleans was born. >> prior to katrina, the lower ninth ward was one of the top communities in the country, communities of color per capita of home ownership. >> reporter: and then, katrina. generational homes lost, and while today they are more protected from storms -- so this is a levee. it looks like a big hill with a lot of grass on it. on the other side is the mississippi river. it has been built up since katrina. it can now handle up to 20 feet of storm surge.

we don't expect more than 11 feet with ida. so that will be okay, but this story isn't about flooding. it's about inequity. when you rebuild and it takes 16 years to rebuild, as you start to see newcomers come in who are pricing out the folks who lived here originally. >> right. so what happens when this starts to increase the property value, then everybody's property value starts to go up. now these small little cottages that have two and three bedrooms and the like instead of being what used to be under $50,000, now start to emerge to be $150,000 or more. >> reporter: and beyond the property tax and beyond the lower ninth ward, there was insurance injustice. fema's flood insurance recently updating because until now, no matter if you owned a mansion or a cottage, you had to pay the same.>> we' go be able to price it fairly going forward.rr

paying more than they should, and higher value homes are paying less than they should. >> reporter: new orleans has seen ten inches of sea level rise in the last 20 years. let's look at the storm again. we anticipate a cat 4 making landfall this afternoon in louisiana. only 11 storms before this have intensified that much. so quickly it dropped overnight. it's headed directly toward us and we'll see impacts for the next 36 hours. if you're not in the core, you'll still see impact and the potential for damaging

>> reporter: this weather sponsored by state farm. we'll send it back to you all. >> ginger, thank you for showing us how communities are still rebuilding and those levees will be put to the test. coming up, how hospitals are dealing with the challenge of the hurricane on top of the overflow of covid patients. jake from state farm, i'd like to formally extend my gratitude for the russell rate on my insurance. do you mean surprisingly great rates from state farm? i don't believe in accepting help. but i'll make an exception. here's the deal russell, there's no special rate. these prices are for everyone. with the oak and the eagle as witness, consider us square. i made that from memory, i know your face that well. when you want the real deal... like a good neighbor, state farm is there. overwhelmed by the ups and downs when you want the real deal... of frequent mood swings of bipolar i?

ask about vraylar. some medicines only treat the lows or highs. vraylar effectively treats depression, acute manic or mixed episodes of bipolar i in adults. full-spectrum relief for all bipolar i symptoms with just one pill, once a day. elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis have an increased risk of death or stroke. call your doctor about unusual changes in behavior or suicidal thoughts. antidepressants can increase these in children and young adults. report fever, stiff muscles, or confusion, which may mean a life-threatening reaction, or uncontrollable muscle movements, which may be permanent. side effects may not appear for several weeks. high cholesterol and weight gain, and high blood sugar, which can lead to coma or death, may occur. movement dysfunction, sleepiness, and stomach issues are common side effects. and you can pay as little as $0 if eligible for your first 2 prescriptions. when bipolar i overwhelms, vraylar helps smooth the ups and downs. on a road trip- do you need power or optimum power? if that battery in your kid's toy dies... you are in for a long ride.

so upgrade to optimum. duracell optimum. ok everyone, our mission is to provide complete, balanced nutrition for strength and energy. whoo hoo! ensure, with 27 vitamins and minerals, now introducing ensure complete! with 30 grams of protein.

expertly tailored eye care. state-of-the-art eye exams. high quality lenses and frames. because everything we do at lenscrafters is for every sight that makes your life special. book your annual eye exam now. lenscrafters. because sight.

welcome back to "gma," and we're looking at the struggle for hospitals in the south already stretched to the limit due to covid-19. now a hurricane is being added to the mix. abc's elwyn lopez has more on how they're handling it all. >> reporter: this morning, hospitals overwhelmed with covid patients now bracing for hurricane ida as it barrels toward louisiana. doctors at one hospital system in new orleans in crisis mode. >> addressing the surge and preparing for a major hurricane has certainly been a challenge. we anticipate like with any hurricane, after the hurricane we'll have an influx of patients to our emergency departments. >> reporter: alabama at a breaking point. out of icu beds and now under storm warnings. >> we are really in a crisis

situation. i don't know how much longer we're going to be able to -- to do this. >> reporter: the crush of covid patients filling the nation's hospitals. up more than 574% in the last two months.walk in the hospital it feels like the world is on fire. >> reporter: some hospitals in fresno county, california now forced to treat people in conference rooms. >> we are paralyzed right now. unable to move patients for the most part. >> reporter: the delta variant fueling this latest surge. the u.s. now averaging a staggering 144,000 new covid cases a day. in south carolina, misty goodwin's 12-year-old daughter landed in the hospital with the virus. >> it's like a bad dream that you just -- you're not waking up from. >> reporter: amari now out of a medically induced coma. her mother says she's fighting for her life and remains hopeful. >> we have to protect our kids. amari was scheduled to get vaccinated. before we leave here she will be vaccinated.

>> reporter: and guys, amari's mother tells me her daughter was set to get vaccinated just days before she got sick. and back here in georgia, hospitals are nearing capacity with more than 90% of icu beds now full. eva? >> elwyn lopez for us in atlanta. coming up on "good morning america," the changes at the u.s. open for tennis fans and for the players. trelegy for copd. ♪ir fin' high you know how i feel. ♪ ♪ breeze drifting on by you know how i feel. ♪ ♪ it's a new dawn... ♪ if you've been taking copd sitting down, it's time to make a stand. start a new day with trelegy. no once-daily copd medicine has the power to treat copd in as many ways as trelegy. with three medicines in one inhaler, trelegy helps people breathe easier and improves lung function. it also helps prevent future flare-ups. trelegy won't replace a rescue inhaler for sudden breathing problems.

tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure before taking it. do not take trelegy more than prescribed. trelegy may increase your risk of thrush, pneumonia, and osteoporosis. call your doctor if worsened breathing, chest pain, mouth or tongue swelling, problems urinating, vision changes, or eye pain occur. take a stand and start a new day with trelegy. ask your doctor about once-daily trelegy. and save at trelegy.com. get more joy out of your shower ask your doctor about with the scents of. suave body wash. sorich coc buttea air. fresh florals, and more beautiful fragrances. breathe in the bliss with suave. chromebooks are seriously easy to set up right out of the box. bjust sign in withts. your gmail and bam! all your files are right there. now get after it. cause you're good to go. switch to setting up the easy way. switch to chromebook air wick essential mist transforms fragrance infused with natural essential oils into a mist. with an extra boost of fragrance you can see...

smell... and feel. it's air care redefined. air wick essential mist, connect to nature. (vo) look closely at a wolf. you've seen him before. he's your dog. wolves and dogs share many traits. like a desire for meat. that's why there's blue wilderness, made with... the protein-rich meat your dog loves. feed your dog's inner wolf with blue wilderness.

back now on "gma" with the u.s. open just a day away from welcoming fans to the largest attended annual sporting event in the world. this year, new protocols in place to try to keep it from also becoming a superspreader event as well as attending to the needs of players. abc's zachary kiesch has more.

>> reporter: the best in the world are back in new york city for the u.s. open, but the headline is all about the fans. >> we're going to have hundreds of thousands of people coming out to watch our event. >> reporter: due to the ongoing pandemic, the u.s. tennis association recently reversed its admission guidelines saying, quote, any u.s. open attendee will be required to provide proof of at least one dose of a covid-19 vaccine. for the more than 700,000 fans attending the two-week tournament, officials are rolling out the red carpet. from celebrity chefs serving up those tasty dishes to fan events, everyone here is ready. >> i have no doubt that food will match the scope of the tennis played here. >> reporter: on the court, some of the game's biggest names will not be playing. sisters serena and venus williams who have dominated the game withdrawing from the tournament due to separate injuries. with federer and nadal out of

early fan favorite on the men's side. >> i can't wait, honestly. i'm very motivated to play my best tennis. >> reporter: naomi osaka, the reigning champ is back and bidding for a third win in four years. >> honestly i know i haven't played in that many matches, but i feel pretty confident with where i am right now. >> reporter: naomi osaka has initiated important conversations this year around mental health. she was actually penalized at the french open after opting out of media availability citing anxiety and depression. here at the u.s. open, players will have access to licensed therapists and other resources. part of a new player health initiative. but the other big story off the court will be fan attendance in those new covid vaccine mandates. eva? >> i know fans are excited to be able to attend again. zachary kiesch for us, thanks. we'll be right back with "pop news."

the olympics and paralympics are back. and watching our athletes will once again give the impression that america is the healthiest country in the world. we aren't. but we can be. our collective health is too important to take for granted ever again. the health of our nation cannot just be measured by the victories of our champions, it must be measured by the health of all of us. ♪ why choose proven quality sleep from sleep number? because a quality night's sleep is scientifically proven it must be measured by the health of all of us. to help increase energy and improve recovery. and it keeps you at your best all day long. the new sleep number 360 smart bed is temperature balancing. and it helps keep you asleep by sensing your movement and automatically adjusts to keep you both effortlessly comfortable. the sleep number 360 smart bed is on sale now during our biggest sale of the year.

stop! clearing breakouts doesn't have to be harsh on your sensitive skin. new cetaphil gentle clear contains balanced formulas that gently clear breakouts and soothe sensitive skin. cetaphil. complete acne care for sensitive skin. now in the acne aisle. feel the clarity of non-drowsy claritin. cet and 24-hour reliefe care from symptoms caused. by over 200 indoor and outdoor allergens. try claritin cool mint chewabls for powerful allergy relief plus a cooling sensation. live claritin clear. (driving upbeat music) hey, google. turn it up. [announcer] google pixel 4a with 5g and pixel buds. from $499 and $99. [swords clashing] - had enough? - no... arthritis. here. new aspercreme arthritis. full prescription-strength? reduces inflammation? thank the gods. don't thank them too soon.

kick pain in the aspercreme.

this is an epic bbq barbeque burger. cannonball! ♪ ♪ what? nothing, you're good. face is good. face is good. your face is there. try my bbq bacon double cheeseburger combo. only at jack in the box. my barbeque bacon double cheeseburger. two 100% beef patties, hickory smoked bacon and award-winning barbeque sauce. ♪ mmm...award winning. ♪ try my bbq bacon double cheeseburger combo.

only at jack in the box. ♪ ♪ you know the music. janai is already dancing. "pop news," it is time. feeling it. mona kosar abdi is in the house this morning. what is popping and locking? >> what is popping? janai is dancing because she passed the baton. she was, like, here you go, girl. i got "pop news" for you today. we are starting with protecting tom cruise at all costs, but this time from thieves who turned out to be -- it turned out to be a mission impossible because it was reported that the thieves made off with the luxury bmw cruise was driving while in the uk while filming his new mission impossible movie. the thieves somehow intercepted the signal on the key fob, and gained entry and drove off. thousands of dollars in luggage reportedly all ge. cruise has been spotted around birmingham's grand central station filming the action

movie, and last week an onlooker captured this impressive stunt. a train sailing off a cliff. the movie is due to be released next may, and i know that tom cruise is done with that movie because not only did they pause production twice, but he actually, like, shelled out money so they could keep production going, and now his stuff is stolen. he's, like, don't call me. i don't know you guys after this. now for a dream come true for an 11-year-old girl, a young drummer phenom from england, and the foo fighter front man were involved in an online battle last year including drumming it out to this song. he invited her to play one day, and she got to join the foo fighters on stage in los angeles the other night for their song "ever long." that little girl's going places. all right, and it's been four years since the swedish group abba gave the world new music, but mamma mia, here we go again. fingers crossed. the group urging fans to sign up to their new website for

upcoming information which could come as soon as next week. in 2018, they said there was new music coming, but that was delayed and there was a plan for a tour. get ready. all the dancing queens will be in for some great news. and the singer h.e.r. is exercsing her acting chops. according to "the hollywood reporter" the oscar-winning singer and song writer has gotten her first role in "the color purple." the part was played by rae don chong in the 1985 movie that was directed by steven spielberg. lt for the song "fight for er you" featured in "judas and the black messiah." fou all she has to do is maybe get a grammy for the sound track. >> there we go. >> she's on her way to be an egot. >> she's incredible. did you see her play the guitar as well? she's got it, like, behind her head. >> super talented. >> all the jimi hendrix stuff. mona, good to have you in this

weekend. >> thank you for letting me in the building. >> we'll make sure we sort that out with security. just kidding. before we go here, special happy birthday to our friend, eva pilgrim. >> i thought i was going to get away with this. >> she thought she was going to get away with it. nope. we're saving the cake for afterwards. >> and the pandemic birthday still counts. >> not counting it. >> thanks for watching, folks. our coverage of hurricane ida continues through the day. "this week" later this morning. >> building a better bay area, moving forward, finding solutions. this is abc 7 news. kate: in the south bay, vta has resumed limited light rail surface today at no charge to passengers. new video shows it back in action. light rail service has been suspended for the last three months following the deadly mass shooting in the downtown san

jose railyard. trains will operate our -- along vta's orange line. limited train service will run between civic center and old ironside station. vta says they will not collect fares on light rail through september 12. it comes back just in time for the 49ers -- for the 49ers game in senate clara. caltrain says this will be a higher than pre-pandemic levels. ridership continues to go up, regularly exceeding 12% of pre-pandemic levels on weekdays and 40% on weekends. lisa argen has been tracking our weather. for everyone traveling around the bay area, how is it looking? lisa: we started with a southerly surge, bringing in the fog. that is improving the air quality. elsewhere, it is moderate in the south bay.

here is a look at the studio tower camera. 57 in pacifica. upper elevations in her inland valleys, still warm and hazy but certainly some changes along the shoreline. 72 in san francisco, upper 60's along the coast, upper 70's over in oakland. anot tomorrow with better air quality and cooler temperatures through the week. kate: majestic mountains... scenic coastal highways... fertile farmlands...

there's lots to love about california. so put off those chores and use less energy from 4 to 9 pm when less clean energy is available. because that's power down time. another day, another chance. make the most of it with the network that can deliver gig speeds to the most businesses. and get the advanced cybersecurity solutions you need with comcast business securityedge. ask how to get comcast business securityedge to help protect all your connected devices. and get started with a great offer on fast and reliable internet and voice for just $64.99 a month. plus, ask how to get a prepaid card up to $500. call or go online today to learn more. comcast business. powering possibilities.

>> announcer: "this week" with george stephanopoulos starts right now. chaos and catastrophe in afghanistan. with two days until the withdrawal deadline, president biden warning another attack on the kabul airport is highly likely. >> the threat stream is still active, still dynamic. >> following the deadliest strike on u.s. forces in afghanistan in more than a decade. >> to those who carried out this attack, we will not forgive. we will not forget. we will hunt you down and make you pay. >> we examine this consequential moment. what will become of those left behind? how will this crisis impact america's standing andecesons a