this morning on "world news now," after hurricane irma, new images of the destruction left behind. >> in the florida keys, numerous homes are damaged or destroyed. nearly 5 million customers are without power and hear why many are waiting hours in line just to get ice. we'll bring you the latest. and the cleanup is under way in several states. in south florida, a striking image, a chain saw-wielding nun springing into action and cleaning up debris. dozens of firefighters battling a fire at a school named for a confederate general. and there's a new

with an unlikely leader telling champagne lovers to stop drinking from the glass. is it science or just that the glass is too dainty to drink. the brian ross unit at work on this wednesday, september 13th. from abc news, this is "world news now." >> maybe it is better drank -- >> from the "world news now" mug. >> or from the box that it comes in. [000:01:34;00] >> oh, yeah. all the best champagne comes from a box. >> we'll get to that investigative piece a little later on in this half hour. yeawe're going to start off with the miles of destruction left behind by hurricane irma and the residents making their way back home to their communities, many in shambles. >> people scrambling to fill up their tanks, waiting in long

lines as you can see there, at a limited number of gas stations open for business. and irma has claimed at least 22 lives here in the united states, and president trump heads to florida tomorrow. search and rescue crews are going door to door, looking for more victims in the florida keys, where nearly every house was impacted. >> abc's david muir was there. >> reporter: we were allowed to travel all the way to key west to survey the damage, working with the international guard unit out of macdill air force base. to go all the 20way to points south, giving them locations where to go. they're working together with an army national guard unit here. they have already witnessed the devastation. >> homes that people were trying to shelter in place in their homes was just not substantial for the type of weather that, that occurred here. >> reporter: it was not long before we witnessed the damage ourselves. boats dropped in the middle of

the highw. off. gas stations destroyed. but we are still told, the worst of the damage is further south. the monroe county emergency management director on the tarmac where they are now accepting splice. you' -- supplies. >> you start getting down to mile marker 25,24,23, then you truly appreciate that a category four hurricane passed over that area. one out of every five houses is destroyed in that area. >> reporter: and on our journey, we begin to see it. in this neighborhood, the first structure, completely destroyed. the playground right beside still standing. further down the road, a car request its windows blown out. families who live here will come home to rooftops from their neighbors now in their front yards. this family stayed here and survived the storm. they tell us they found pieces of their home across the neighborhood.

>> the roof is like, again, like three houses down, and the roof, >> reporter: as we walk through, we see neighborhoods littered with trees, power lines everywhere you look. the mailbox in front of this home, a signal of the ferocity of the winds that came through here. and as we walked through the yards, we can see neighbors in their back yards, much of their property now right out in the open. but by far the biggest concern here are the people who stayed behind who have not been accounted for. do you have a sense at all if everyone survived this? >> so we know for a fact that there's at least four identified and known casualties so far. >> reporter: and as we were driving through the keys, we witnessed the search and rescue teams now going door to door. this team from gainesville, their job to knock on the front doors. they tell us they have not found anyone yet. >> our david muir there getting a closeup look at the damage in the keys.

and irma turned ice cubes into a hot commodity as literally mell literally melted away. >> cars snaked around a parking lot, all behind an ice truck. they're trying to get their hands on just one or two bags of ice. most of the ice that is available is going to hospitals, police and fire departments. and nearly 5 million customers are without power from florida through south carolina. crews have been working round the clock to try to restore the electricity. but with so many downed trees and power lines, it could take several weeks before everyone has power again. several people were running generators inside their homes have died from carbon monoxide poisoning. >> hear one woman who took cleanup efforts into her own hands. sister margaret ann was working with her chain saw when miami dade police shot this video. they posted it with the #miami dade strong. >> sister act indeed. in jacksonville, there's still

plenty of drying out and cleaning up to squad was seen carrying a baby to an ambulance through knee-high water. the city saw its worst flooding in nearly a century. residents are faced with a gigantic mess. >> and florida's biggest airports are open again and starting to ramp up capacity. the storm forced the capsulation -- cancellation of thousands of flights. the airport in key west is only open to emergency response flights. many caribbean islands struggle in irma's wake. >> the death toll in the island is up to 37 people. hundreds of tourists are trying to leave. and locals are trying to locate the bare essentials. >> almost everything is broken down. for our need, we need water and food. it's not no maybe.

it's for water and food. we departmeon't have that. >> french president emmanuel macron got a first look at the situation on st. martin. he called the situation very critical and promised a speedy recovery. european governments have been strong to respond to the disaster in their overseas territories. and the phone lines are still open after a live telethon packed with celebrities. >> from oprah and cher to julia roberts. justin bieber was there leading a prayer. dozens of celebrities participated in the hand in hand, razihand raising money for those impacted by the storms. go to hand in hand 2017.com to donate. >> there's much more irma coverage ahead in the next half hour. we'll also have a closer look at

how the virgin islands are coping with but wei want to turn to the other top stories. the supreme court hand being the trump administration a victory. the travel ban. the case is still far from settled. justices are scheduled to hear arguments next month on the legality of the travel ban. in the meantime, the house has approved a resolution condemning white supremacists, neo-nazis and other hate groups. the joint resolution now heads to the white house for president trump's signature. the president has ten days to either sign or veto the bill before it automatically becomes law. and also on capitol hill, a special honor for the man who's turned a piece of american history into a pop culture phenomenon. >> tony, emmy, grammy and pulitzer prizewinner, lynn

manuel miranda has been he says he was humbled inside the statuary hall. >> they didn't look like me, but they're in here. this is the room where it happened ♪ the room where it happened but for like realsies. >> miranda's "hamilton" won 11 tony awards and has been integrated into history classrooms across the country. >> we have been on the waiting list for much of the 2000s. >> i thought for sure you'd get a phone call. >> they heard me sing. >> and they said never let him anywhere near the stage ever. coming up, a major break in a 40-year-old case, the disappearance of two young

sisters changed the way the region raised what detectives were able to uncover all these years later. and later, raising a champion. sloane stephens sits down with robin roberts and mom, how she reveals she was able to keep her cool while watching her daughter on sport's biggest stage. and find us on twitter and facebook at abcwnn. so if you're on medicare or will be soon, you may want more than parts a and b here's why. medicare only covers about 80% of your part b medical expenses. the rest is up to you. you might want to consider an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan, insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. like any medicare supplement insurance plan, these help pick up some of what medicare doesn't pay.

and, these plans let you choose any doctor or hospital that accepts medicare patients. you could stay with the doctor or specialist you trust... or go with someone new. you're not stuck in a network... because there aren't any. so don't wait. call now to request your free decision guide and find the aarp medicare supplement plan that works for you. there's a range to choose from, depending on your needs and your budget. rates are competitive. and they're the only plans of their kind endorsed by aarp. like any of these types of plans, they let you apply whenever you want. there's no enrollment window... no waiting to apply. so call now. remember, medicare supplement plans

help cover some of what medicare doesn't pay. you'll be able to choose any doctor or hospital that accepts medicare patients. whether you're on medicare now or turning 65 soon, it's a good time to get your ducks in a row. duck: quack! call to request your free decision guide now. because the time to think about tomorrow is today. i ...prilosec otc 7 years ago,my doctor recommended... 5 years ago, last week. just 1 pill each morning, 24 hours and zero heartburn. it's been the number 1 doctor recommended brand for 10... ...straight years, and it's still recommended today.

use as directed. in tampa, dozens of firefight othe firefighters rushed to the scene of this school, named for robert e. lee. some are calling for the school's name to be changed. at this point, the fire is not considered suspicious. school was not in session because of hurricane irma. there will be no civil rights charges against six officers charged in the death of freddie gray. he suffered a broken neck in the

back of a police van. his death sparked deadly violence. justice department prosecutors didn't find enough evidence to find the officers willfully violated gray's civil rights. five of the officers will face internal disciplinary trials starting next month. and testimony is under way in the slenderman case. she was accused of slashing a classmate. her attorneys say she was suffering from a mental illness at the time of the stabbing and wasn't responsible. prosecutors say she had the mental capacity to know she was committing a crime. a cold case more than two decades old, two sisters disappeared. >> but detectives finally got a guilty plea. here's david kerley. >> reporter: for these young girls, 12 year old sheila, 10 year old sister kathryn, some

justice, they were snatched from a maryland m to more than 40 years ago, all these years later, this carnival worker, now 60, faced a judge. the girls' parents and brothers there. thanking police and prosecutors who kept this cold case alive. >> they have treated sheila and kate as if they were their own sisters. or daughters. >> reporter: but there's more to this case. lloyd welch admits helping abduct the girls, transporting at least one body to virginia but denies raping or killing them. prosecutors suggest others involved in the killings are dead or a case could not be proven. >> we put one of the main perpetrators away for all intents and purposes the rest of his life. >> reporter: that's because he is already serving time for a separate sex crime and will be sentenced to 48 years for the killing of these two young girls.

david washington. and coming up, apple surprises fans with three new iphones. what you need to know to be the first to get one. but first, we're one on one with sloane stephens. she explains why she was totally shocked by her win.

that's next on "world news now." having done this once, does it give you a hunger to do this again? feel this feeling again? >> of course, girl, did you see that check that lady handed me? like, yes! [ laughter ] >> sloane keeping it real. she's like, oh, my god, are you kidding me? sloane stephens there had ice running through her veins throughout the whole tournament until she got that $3.7 million check. >> not a bad chunk of change for a 24 year old, and that winning moment was certainly priceless. not just for sloane but for her mother as well. >> and robin roberts got to sit

down with both sloane and mom. >> reporte >> reporter: has it sunk? >> i always wanted to win slam, but i never pictured myself in that situation, the dramatic falling and all that. i never saw it. and when it happened i was like, wait, what do i do now? do i cry? roll on the ground? i'm not sure. i was so shocked. >> reporter: but also that moment when you acknowledged your mother. >> when i was 11 years old, my mother took me to a tennis academy. >> reporter: and you said that coach who said you would maybe division two. maybe. and your mom said, no. >> parents don't get enough cred i. i think if you have a parent that can support you in the best way possible and especially a sport. i just wanted people to know that your kid could be me, like if you just have an awesome parent. >> parents, that's what we do. we support, we love unconditionally. >> reporter: what was it like for you to see your daughter win?

>> i watched every point, and it was just exciting, but i was so she got out and fought, you know, that made me feel good, that she was on her way to her goal. no matter what happened, she was there. she made it. >> reporter: how were you so calm sitting in the box? >> oh, maybe on the outside, but, you know, i do a lot of meditation, so i think, i breathe, i try to stay calm. >> reporter: mm-hm. >> and stay in the moment. >> were you counting down from a million? >> no. >> reporter: what do you mean? >> i played a match one time against someone, i was playing a really good player. and i was like, mom, you look so uncomfortable up there, what was wrong? were you okay? and she was like, no, no, i was fine. i was just counting down from a million. >> it's true. >> who does that? >> you just have to find a way to stay calm and stay in the moment. >> reporter: best day ever. >> seriously. do you know how many retweets

that oh, my god. i like made it, seriously. >> reporter: this is what gets my. you won the u.s. open. >> this is insane. so many people, like all these people, and i'm like, oh, my god, i love her, i love him, they know who i am, they know i exist. it was like the greatest thing ever. i asked her to design my wedding dress, she's like, of course. >> reporter: are you engaged? >> no! >> i love her. i think we might need a sloan stevens cut out. >> maybe we should go with that. and mom looks young, beautiful. >> i thought it was her sister. >> mom could be the girlfriend. she's made about $4 million. that was pretty much matched in one day. two weeks. >> she was pretty excited about the whole thing, understandably so, but well deserved. >> the ball people there get paid quite a bit. >> do they? >> well, in case you missed it, kendis and i tried our own hand

at competing at the u.s. open. and we did great. look at that form. i was on vacation when this -- >> nailed it. >> that's what you're supposed to do. oh, that was supposed to go over the net. >> it felt a lot better than it looks. into this old jar. y my pocket change it's never much, just what's left after i break a dollar. and i never thought i could get quality life insurance with my spare change. neither did i. until i saw a commercial for the colonial penn program. imagine people our age getting life insurance at such an affordable rate. it's true. if you're 50 to 85, you can get guaranteed acceptance life insurance through the colonial penn program for less than 35 cents a day, just $9.95 a month. there's no medical exam and no health questions. you know, the average cost of a funeral is over $8,300. now that's a big burden to leave your loved ones.

as long as you're 50 to 85, your premium never goes up and your benefit never goes down due to age. plus, your coverage builds cash value over time. call now for free information and a free gift. all i did was make a phone call and all of my questions about the colonial penn program were answered. it couldn't have been any easier and we both got the coverage we should have had for years now. mm-hm, with change to spare. (laughing)

(colonial penn jingle) so one of those long debates that has gone back for ages has finally been solved. how best to drink champagne. apparently we always go and put it in that skinny little glass and you know put one of our pinkies up and oh, my god, this is the best champagne i have ever had at brunch. >> whose voice are you? >> i don't know, somebody named serena having lunch with becky. >> okay. >> so apparently, the ceo of krug says you're not supposed to

drink from a flute. it will not let you inside. good champagne, before anything is a good wine. >> right from the bottle? >> yes. right from the box. right from the giant vat. don't do "the skinnthe skin y f. >> and use your mouth. >> that, too. all right, on to a guy whose luck may be turning, remember we showed you seth dixon as the guy who proposed to his partner in kansas city. and he apparently, the ring popped out during the proposal. it fell in the water. never to be found again. at least not yet. well, apparently, some friends have gone together and started a go fund me page for them. >> oh, okay. >> trying to help seth raise money for a new ring.

last we checked, there was $261 to trying to raise. but i'd like to point out that yesterday we were told that ring cost $3,000. >> wait. >> it seems to be appreciating with every day that it's gone. >> inflation, no? >> diamonds do appreciate. i didn't realize they appreciated that quickly. >> that's great, $261. shut we donate a dollar to that fund? >> then we wouldn't have that for champagne. >> oh, sorry, good luck. this is kind of cute. this baby tries watermelon for the very first time. and becomes obsessed. first non-baby food for the little kid. >> adorable. >> here in utah and boom, quelled everything. >> all right, food can do that for you. apparently, that doesn't just apply to humans. i want to take you over to chile where there was an interview

going independence day, check out the side of the screen. on the right, a dog comes ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ with the company trusted for more than 75 years, you have the compassion and strength of a name, giving you the courage to enjoy the ride. carefirst blue cross blue shield.

live fearless. this morning on "world news now." the miles of destruction left behind by hurricane irma. simply daunting. the cleanup is under way. millions though still without electricity, living in darkness, many without water. some evacuated residents are making their way back home to communities in shambles. and the dire situation in the caribbean islands, almost completely wiped out as devastation turns to despair. now they're issuing new calls for help. and new this half hour, cleveland rocks. the indians on a roll. >> they won their 20th in a row, setting a league record. see why there's little standing