welcome to "world news tonight." rivers rising and now tropical storm bonnie taking aim this holiday weekend. record rain triggering deadly flooding. the high-water rescues and the trail of damage. and now millions of beach-goers on alert. lightning strikes a birthday party, and a kid's soccer game, dozens of children hurt. they said he was dead. >> it was pretty disheartening reading that you had died in the government's eyes. >> thousands of vets cut off from benefits, forced to prove they are actually alive. on this memorial weekend, we get answers from the v.a. the biggest indy 500 ever and the driver preparing for a comeback after surviving this the last time. a hiker who slipped and fell over the falls, 70 feet down.

>> and the 4-year-old with the big voice. ♪ i'm going to let it shine now a big internet hit. he had the whole church on its feet. >> hey, everybody. i'm on abc news. good evening and thank you for joining us on this saturday. i'm cecilia vega. on this unofficial first weekend of summer, we begin with dangerous weather wreaking havoc in so much of the country. torrential rain in parts of texas. this pick-up truck there, no match for the saturated road in magnolia, texas, historic rain triggering damaging floods. this suv washed away. this is how it came to a standstill. now a tropical storm warning in the atlantic as millions are at the beach this holiday, rip current dangerous from florida to north carolina. your holiday forecast in a moment.

and we have team coverage on it all, but first, abc's phillip mena with those flood rescuers in woodlands, texas. >> reporter: tonight outside houston, neighborhoods under water, residents scrambling to get out any way they can. >> we're just watching the water. we have nowhere to go. >> reporter: up to 16 inches in 24 hours washing out roads and submerging cars. two dead and now five missing after days of violent storms. in wichita, an 11-year-old boy is missing after being swept away when he fell into a creek trying to cross it. police rescuing a woman who drove around a barricade and got trapped. >> it is amazing they don't tap their brakes, they're just oblivious to it. it puts them and us in harm's way. >> reporter: today rescue crews working around the clock to evacuate people trapped in their homes. >> we woke up surrounded by a lake. >> reporter: in texas, this family on their way to their son's graduation. >> i'm graduating today.

quickly. >> reporter: in the southeast they're bracing for a messy memorial day weekend. our eva pilgrim is there. >> reporter: we're starting to see the initial bands of this system move in. the wind is starting to pick up. you can clearly see some people are still trying to squeeze in a little beach time but the bigger concern for the weekend is an invisible threat, rip currents. >> reporter: a forecast keeping millions of americans on alert this holiday, from dangerous surf to high waters. cecilia, residents here are rushing to get out of their homes tonight, and as the water rises, so does the worry. they're expecting more flooding here for several days. cecilia? >> okay, phillip, thank you. i want to bring in abc's senior meteorologist rob marciano who's tracking it. rob, is there any relief in sight for those flooded areas out in texas? >> reporter: well, the rivers will continue to rise but no rain expected for the next 24 hours. that's good news. just west of there, severe

texas until 11:00 tonight. also around the quad cities in the midwest until 9:00. that's bumping into seriously steamy area. 92 degrees for the high in boston, 91 in new york, 96 in newark, new jersey. eva mentioned the tropical storm warnings out for the carolina coastline. bonnie 100 miles off shore. makes landful tomorrow morning. there will be risk bringing rain and wind not just for the carolinas but rain for memorial day monday at least knocking down some of the heat. cecilia? >> rob, thanks. and that tropical threatening a taste of what's to come. the official forecast for the atlantic hurricane season has been released. government meteorologists predicting four to eight hurricanes and one to four major hurricanes with winds of at least 111 miles an hour. they call it a, quote, near normal season, and it officially starts on wednesday, june 1st.

weather overseas tonight, two devastating lightning strikes in two different cities injuring dozens of children. in paris children at an outdoor birthday party were huddling under a tree when they were struck. nine children and two adults injured there. and in germany, lightning struck at a children's soccer game sending 35 people to the hospital. here's abc's jennifer eccleston with the latest from london. >> reporter: tonight dangerous lightning injuring dozens. a paris park turned trauma center today. six victims rushed to the hospital with serious injuries including three children, now fighting for their lives. europe on high alert as violent storms march through. across the border in germany, 35 struck by lightning at a youth soccer game. several seriously injured. witnesses describe a bolt of lightning striking a sunny field. violent storms marched through. across the border in

struck by lightning at a youth soccer game. several seriously injured. witnesses describe a bolt of lightning striking a sunny field. and while those skies might have been sunny, storms nearby can send a dangerous lightning strike up to ten miles away. cecilia? >> okay, jennifer, thank you. and we have breaking news now from cincinnati, details just coming in about a 3-year-old's dangerous encounter with a gorilla at the zoo. here's abc's ron claiborne. >> reporter: the 3-year-old child somehow toppled into the gorilla enclosure at the cincinnati zoo late this afternoon. according to witnesses, one of the gorillas was close to or touching the child. >> a 3-year-old child has fallen into the gorilla cage, and the gorilla is slamming the child into the wall and the child is in the water. >> reporter: after the child fell into the gorilla area, rescuers went in, and one of them shot and killed the 17-year-old male gorilla named

horembe. the child was rushed to the hospital. >> they made the right choice and they made a tough choice because they saved that little boy's life. it could have been very bad. >> reporter: cincinnati zoo officials say even though the gorilla was not bothering the child, the decision was made to shoot rather than tranquilize the gorilla because they believed the child was still at risk and the tranquilizer would have taken too long. >> thank you, ron. the first big weekend of the summer, vacationers got off to a gridlocked start on the garden state parkway in new jersey. one reason why? the average gallon of gas is now just $$2.32, 40 cents lower than a year ago. as marci gonzalez reports, a benefit for businesses today. >> reporter: tonight, a possle record-breaking memorial day dash to the beaches, fueled by prices like this at the pump. >> the gas prices, low, it

>> reporter: as many as 34 million americans expected to drive this holiday weekend. the most in more than a decade, the last time gas prices were this low. >> the cost of traveling was just too high in recent years. but this year, thankfully, gas prices have dropped and we're able to make a trip like this. >> reporter: turner batten, taking a memorial day road trip from tampa home to charlotte for the first time in four years. then it cost him more than $170 to make the round trip. this year, nearly $70 less. since 2012 the average driver has saved $3,400 a year on fuel. with more money in their pockets, this holiday weekend is expected to be a knockout for businesses. >> the crowds are good and they're spending money. >> reporter: gasbuddy.com estimates that the gas prices will inch up over the next few months but the average will stay below $$2.50 a gallon.

there are new details about that vintage plane that crashed in new york city. the plane fished out of the hudson river today. the pilot, william gordon of key west, florida, did not survive. an investigation into the accident is now under way. and to the race for the white house now, all eyes on california ahead of voting there, and donald trump's welcome definitely a mixed bag. outside his event in san diego scenes like this, protestors clashing with riot police. but inside, trump speaking to cheering crowds about his wall with mexico. but also, for the first time now denying that california is in a drought. abc's devin dwyer on the reaction tonight and the new controversy over trump's contributions to veterans. >> reporter: the protests lasted for hours. a firestorm just 20 miles from the mexican border and raising eyebrows with this claim, that california's historic drought is a myth. >> is it a drought, no. we have plenty of water.

backlash. >> more drought, more floods, more extreme weather disturbances. >> reporter: in santa barbara where residents are under strict water use rules, bernie sanders coming out swinging. >> we are the campaign that will defeat mr. trump. >> reporter: the battle in california playing out as the candidates prepare to celebrate memorial day. trump appearing with veterans as there are new questions about money raised at his primetime fundraiser for veterans in iowa in january. >> we just cracked $6 million, right? $6 million. >> reporter: this week trump revised that number, making it slightly lower. >> i think we raised like 5.5 or 5.6 or 5.7. we raised a lot of money. >> reporter: trump says that includes $1 million of his personal fortune. >> donald trump gave $1 million. >> reporter: tonight the chairman of the marine corps law enforcement foundation,

trump called just this week to offer a $1 million donation and has transferred the money. trump says much but not all the money raised at that fundraiser for veterans has already been distributed, but the campaign tonight won't say which groups morrow trump will address the rolling thunder ride for veterans here in d.c. cecilia? >> devin dwyer, thank you. tomorrow on "this week," the full political wrap, abc's jon karl goes one-on-one with trump campaign chief paul manafort. on this memorial day weekend we are tracking thousands of veterans caught by surprise when they were cut from benefits and declared dead. their fight with the v.a. to prove they are now alive. here's details from abc's mary bruce. >> reporter: navy veteran michael rieker is doing what he loves most, riding his harley. not exactly what you would expect from someone who's been declared dead. >> they told me that mike rieker was deceased. well, as it turned out, it was a mike rieker in arizona. >> reporter: from florida, to new jersey. >> it was pretty disheartening,

government's eyes. >> reporter: and georgia. >> i received a letter from the v.a. declaring me dead. >> reporter: over the past five years, 4200 veterans have been accidently declared dead by the v.a. due to clerical mistakes. their monthly benefit payments suddenly cut off. >> it was, uh, pretty upsetting to find out that a major portion of my income was no longer coming in. >> reporter: rieker contacted florida congressman david jolly, who alerted the v.a. jolly tells us supposedly deceased veterans are still walking into his office alive and well. >> a woman said her father has been declared dead twice. >> twice? >> twice. >> that's a bad year. >> that's a bad year, right. >> reporter: in this letter to jolly, the v.a. says it is, "working diligently to minimize these types of errors." the v.a. says it is changing its system and will now send a letter to the beneficiary's address, asking them to confirm any deaths. if the v.a. doesn't hear back within 30 days, it'll stop benefit payments. cecilia?

>> mary, thank you. this holiday weekend means it is the indy 500. the festivities are under way in indianapolis ahead of tomorrow's race. it is the 100th running. here's espn's lindsay czarniak. >> reporter: it's called the greatest spectacle in racing, and the 100th running of the indy 500 may be the biggest yet. >> whoo! >> reporter: more than 350,000 fans will pack into the indianapolis motor speedway tomorrow, the first complete sellout ever. >> that famous checkered flag is ready, and he's over! >> reporter: firestone tires cracking open its video vault exclusively to abc news for the centennial race, footage going back 100 years. that's tire magnate harvey firestone asking his good friend, thomas edison, what he thinks of einstein's theory. >> i don't think anything of einstein's theory because i can't understand it. >> reporter: and this, a glimpse of famed driver mario andretti, before his 1969 indy win.

>> i've been dreaming about coming to this place since i was 13 years old. >> reporter: but since then, no andretti taking the coveted checkered flag. now the pressure is on grandson marco. >> it's only right an andretti wins the 100th. >> reporter: canadian james hinchcliffe has other plans, already securing the best starting position, just one year after this, a massive crash during a practice run that almost killed him. >> the biggest thing for me is just how lucky i was. i'm driving race cars again. i have no lasting side effects. i'm stronger than ever. in a lot of ways it's the best thing that ever happened to me. gyms hinchcliffe told me he does not remember that accident at all and that that's actually what has helped him get back in the driver's seat. no matter who wins tomorrow, it will be historic. cecilia? >> and we will be watching. lindsey, thank you. and a reminder that the indianapolis 500 airs right here on abc tomorrow 11:00 eastern.

wooez tonight this saturday. the hiker and the drop that has to be seen to be believed. the fall down not one, not two but three waterfalls, how he managed to survive. and, you think you have a tough commute? the hour and a half climb that is straight up to get to school. kids who complain about getting to class need to watch this, stat. nexium 24 hour introduces new, easy-to-swallow tablets.

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>> that's when i actually really started getting really scared. i thought now it's time to survive because this is getting real. >> reporter: a week later, reichert is out of the hospital, and at home, casts on both of his legs. >> that's when i broke the bones. as i hit the rock first and then like i pogo stick. >> reporter: his feet shattered and barely staying above water, he was somehow able to swim up the side of the river. then a nine half-hour rescue. first responders finally pulling him to safety. and tonight, a warning to other hikers. reichert knew he was stuck after jumping out to a rock in the middle of the rapids. instead of waiting for help, he tried to get out himself. >> i guess that's the closest thing to a thought i could be thinking at this point, you better just live. >> reporter: lauren lyster, abc news, los angeles. when we come back, the new secret about the universe revealed about comet dust.

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an epipen may have saved her. this is the only way for kids to get to school. more than a dozen children make this trip, some as young as six years old. chinese officials now considering building a more sturdy staircase. new clues from out of the blue about how we got here. scientists confirming tonight that comet dust contains an amino acid considered to be a building block of life, glie seen. the european space agency confirms that seles yal objects may have carried key matter from space down to earth. and when we come back, the video we cannot stop watching here. one little boy's sunday best had the entire church rocking in the pews. ♪ this little light of mine ♪ i'm going to let it shine >> what caleb is saying and singing tonight. with the pain and swelling of my moderate to severe

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for more people... to experience... complete protection from frequent heartburn. nexium 24hr. the easy-to-swallow tablet is here. and now the drop the mic moment inside a north carolina church. the video going viral, and when you see it, you will understand why. here's abc's john donvan on this little boy with the big voice. ♪ this little light of mine >> reporter: from the second you hear him, you kind of can't believe it, but caleb serrano, he's got the voice. ♪ and, he's got the moves. >> caleb has been singing and demonstrating he's got the "it" factor for a long time. ♪ this little light of mine >> reporter: and in just the past few weeks, he's got the fans too.

family friend willy jones put up this video on facebook. caleb, "this little light of mine," performing at the new hope baptist church in greensboro, north carolina. >> so, how did a kid who was born, um, just four years ago get this good? >> we started singing when he was a baby. i would sing to put him to sleep >> and where does his inspiration come from? >> where do you sing from? >> my heart. >> to who? >> jesus. >> reporter: and we know this, caleb's anything but shy. >> hey everybody, i'm on abc news. >> reporter: so, here's the question. he's got the voice. but does he have the finish? ♪ >> reporter: oh yeah, caleb's got the finish. john donvan, abc news. >> we love caleb here. "gma" and "this week" in the morning. i'm cecilia vega here in new

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