>> announcer: news 4 begins now with storm team 4. >> now at 6:00, a father's deepest fear his children clinging to his back as he swims through harvey's floodwaters. >> that water is so fast and so quick you don't have no time to live. >> our amelia draper live in houston with one of 100s of rescues happening right now. the tropical storm not going anywhere soon. we have new rain totals tonight as emergency officials offer grim update on the recovery. and new word the president is headed south soon. stories of bravery

incredible images coming into our newsroom. a look at the system and what is next in a minute. we want to start with amelia draper live in houston with an inkred stocredible story of res. amelia? >> reporter: exactly, erika. before i talk more about the storm. want to address our lens is foggy. extremely humid out here. when we are going in and out of the hotel putting the stories together that is just going to be the case. a balmy 80 degrees, right now getting a break from the rain. you talk about meteorology here, the fact that this area has seen, 16 to 17 inches of rainfall. the fact that we are going to get 1 to 2 more feet of rainfall through wednesday. flash flood warnings continue to be in effect. not only that. still concerns for tornado. tornado warnings popping up. still all around us. even in our area. but then, you hear the stories, and the impact this weather has on people. >> with stuff like this happens, that's when you see

>> man, a horrible night. the flooding was bad. we knew that. we didn't know it was going to come that drastic. i have never been this scared before in my life. not for me, for my kids. because i thought we was going to die. >> were you scared? a liftle bit? >> what was that like when you were holding on to your dad and he was swimming? >> scary. because it -- it was like -- my dad don't know how to swim good. so -- he, he, he kind of was drowning and he was getting scared. he was freaking out. >> we lost everything. >> put them in the high spot in the house. everything. >> i had mercedes, lexus, his trucks. everything is gone. all flooded. all floating right now. >> i saved two of your pictures though. >> you did. >> picture of your young daughter and your son. >> you did. you did. >> so we helped each other. >> i had two neighbors, elderly neighbors, caucasian neighbors, that have been here for 40 ye a

y'all, let's go. they say, nick, we can't leave. we have been here all our lives. i'm saying, man, just, just go. let's go. we can come back. >> we decided to do something, our families lives is in jeopardy. >> why do you think your smile is so big today? >> because i am happy that i lived. >> happy you lived too, buddy. >> reporter: nicholas, family and neighbor are staying here at the hotel. they're all safe. they're resting up. understandably extremely exhausted after this event. they were just six miles away from where we are right now. in a town called the friendswood area. mention two neighbors he mentioned. that didn't want to leave their home were fine, thankfully. able to get in contact with them. now, we did get stranded. my photographer beth and i overnight tonight. the floodwaters were rising too much. unsafe to get back to the hotel.

hunkered down here working on stories here. guys, we haven't been out driving on the roads. but officials just urging people, pleading with people to stay in place until the floodwaters recede. the major concern with flooding one of the aspects is the bayous here. think of them as manmade creeks, a lot of them just cement, that can fill with walteter. those will crest overnight and throughout the day tomorrow. this flood event, erika set to continue here through wednesday all due to harvey. >> stories like that, mel, they as you are holding the mike they take your breath away. you can't help but be human in the moments. are you guys okay listening to all that stuff? >> i mean, of course it gets to you. the wonderful thing about this. like i said. you talk about the science. then you see people coming together. and nick put it so great when we were talking to him. he said end of the day people are just people. and, you know, our country in timesik

together. that's why we are such a great nation. it is obviously a little difficult, but, when you hear just the resilience and all of the positivity, you know you can't help but smile. >> well said, my friend. well said. you guys take care. see you again soon. >> amelia spoke to a mother who lost a son, in a past flooding event. and spent agonizing moments wondering if that, if she'd also lose her husband and another child who rode out the storm in their home in houston. >> now my husband is inside my house with my son 2-year-old, toddler, and i just don't want to lose another son or husband. >> we later found out that they are both safe. some wonderful news to report. much more on that interview from amelia coming up, news 4 at 11:00. stay with us as we

the latest updates in our nbc washington app. so, now a look at what is still ahead. storm team 4 meteorologistricke track. these folks need a second wind, third wind, fourth wind. we are not done with this? >> not by a long shot. even after the rain stops, they're still going to be dealing with flooding. bayous will rise. rivers are going to continue to rise. this watt thieer has to go some. expecting 15 to 25 inches in some spots. where amelia was just outside of houston right now. we are starting to see it lighten up a little bit. what is happening is, dry air is actually working its way around the system. and coming through here. so it is pushing a little bit more of the heavier band up to the north and east. as you can see right here. that's going to be the trend. unfortunately, we got the newest track on this. going to

up. it does look like back out into the water. which means it could restrengthen. the rainfall we are looking at for additional 10, 20 inches possible. especially for the houston area. areas that do not need it. here at home, a little belter. temperatures in the 70s. dry out there now. we have rain on the way. nothing like for our friends in texas. talking about that and timing it up for the beginning of your workweek. >> we'll check back in with you. tonight, local first responders are heading to texas to help save lives. 30 members of the search-and-rescue team are now on their way. these are images from the warehouse where nay packed up all their supplies. the team trains year-round, so they can be ready for situations like these. just in. president trump will travel to texas on tuesday. the president making the decision after a late morning update with his cabinet and emergency officials. he has been tweeting his reaction all day. this morning. he said, wow, now experts are calling harvey a once in a

we have an all out effort going and going well. specialized rescue teams from virginia also headed to texas. what they're bringing with them, and how long they say they could be gone. >> remember this nightmare commute? why we could see a repeat in the morning. and what you can do to stay out of it. ♪ ♪

working to learn more about a stabbing outside a metro station. officers wound up closing metro center entrance at 12th and g northwest for some time. the victim was stabbed in the shoulder. no word on the condition or if any arrests have been made. big changes are coming for drivers in northwest d.c. beach drive will close from tilden to joyce road in northwest. drivers will be detoured around the work. cars can now use the newly reopened section from rock creek and potomac parkway. work expected to happen until 2018. we have more details and work around in the washington app. search

tropical storm harvey sinking into texas. a little boy, and his dog, being carried out of the chaos. new video ahead of the devastation and firsthand account of how first responders are trained for situations just like these. >> we continue to watch some showers out there. in the texas area. of course, a lot of heavy rain coming through the region as well. we have more on that forecast.

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all right. let's get back to tropical storm harvey. i want to snow you a live look at the system over texas right now. some parts of the state expected to get as many as 50 inches of rain. that is something i mean, i don't think that many people have ever seen before. that would be the equivalent of -- of 30 inches of snow. in our area. texas governor greg abbott activated 3,000 national guard troops to try to help in any way possible. first responders from fairfax county are leaving for texas driving about 1500 miles to help with the devastating flooding there. as news 4s derek ward reports, training is one thing. real life situations are a whole different ball game. >> they started gearing up, assembling their equipment and getting ready even before they got the word. the

needed. harvey dumbs rain on texas. >> crazy, i came back from houston. before the storm. went down for a drill. >> reporter: this will be the real thing. >> with it being a heavy flood airing yeah right now. some of the water borne issues. you know you are going to have sewer systems back up. >> reporter: truck loads of equipment and supplies to convoy into place. where they're needed. part of the gear ties help them rescue others. part is to make sure they don't have to be rescued. >> we want to be self contained. don't want to be a burden on the disaster that happened there. >> reporter: earlier in the day the red cross began moving resources towards the storm area as well. emergency response vehicles can put food and water on the ground where it is needed and when. it is just part of the equation. logistics, communication, planning is handled at the command center. all trained for this. and then hope they won't have to use it. but they will. they're ready. >> we are ready to get out the door. ready to get down start helping people. >> with the magnitude of the disaster they can be there for weeks.

>> thousands of rescues have been made in and aroundn't houston area this weekend to. day we saw neighbors helping neighbors in the city of friendswood southeast of houston. people carrying their pets, their kids. some even using air boats to try to get folks to safety. news 4s, mark seagraves joins us this evening. you know about situations like this all to well. you have been on some training exercises with first responder, you have seen it firsthand. so talk to me about some of the preparedness that goes night. you know for the folk that are leaving that we are hearing that are headed to texas. they're up against a really, heavy situation. >> you saw derek ward's piece. they go down with convoys of tractor trailers, the equipment. because they as, the captain said have to be self-sufficient 50 days. sanitary, food, housing for their people. then the rescue equipment. so, they train for this. i've went two years ago down to perry, georgia, guardian center. a place where first responders from all over the world actually

this. they can re-create. seeing video of it right now. re-create anything at this location. whether bifldingbifldbiflding - collapses, rescues from rooftops during flooding they created an entire neighborhood which they've can flood with millions of gallons of water to replicate the rooftop rescues we are seeing now. saw it in katrina. >> about to say. >> in new orleans. learned a lot of lessons from that. that's why they put in training facility. walter portion at guardian center. >> we are seeing water rescues. people being rescued from the top of their roofs. tell me about the danger that these first responders are going into. >> one of the things we learned from katrina is one of the ways, first responders and victims were actually injured and killed was during the rescue getting from the rooftops on to the boats. a very tricky situation. >> from the roof to the boat. that was real. >> very, very dangerous. tricky. a lot of times have to put a ladder on the bet on to the

you don't know what is under the water. you are not in a lake. there could be power lines. playground material. sharp objects. live animals. >> anything under the water that you have to work out as a hazard. then walking in that waumter is just as dangerous. you could step on an open manhole cover and fall straight through. all the hidden problems and dangers first responders as you can see from derek's piece, train for year round. we have about eight task forces from around the country that have deployed to texas. >> we are hoping that the dangers that they encounter are minimal and there will be no more loss of life. mark seagraves, appreciate your insight. thank you so very much. we have had a lot of folks ask us how they can help. you can go to nbcwashington app for ways to donate and help victims of hurricane harvey. just search how to help. >> all right. we want to send things back over to storm team 4 meteorologist, laryn ricketts tracking this now. sadly seeing the pinwheel stay right there. it is not. we haven't seen much

pretty much stationary. moving to the north and east little bit because dry air is working its way in that. that's why looking at amelia outside of houston. starting to slow down intensity of rain. dry air is come offing in from the, south and west. i guess from the west and south. and moving right in here. into this area it will continue to push to the north. heavy rain bands set up. texas/louisiana border. let me show you the latest track right now. and, this thing -- unfortunately, i was waiting for this to come out about 4:00. get my necklace out of my mike. it could reintensify a little bit. the winds will pick up. see increased wind speed. monday night into tuesday night. 45. tropical storm status. again, intensify. that means more heavy rain for the area. could have additional, 15, 25 inches. now think of the,

that you have. honda accord. everyone knows what it looks like. general sedans are 50, 58 inches tall. talking about water going over that, and depending on what kind of outlet you are, where you are, what kind of buildings around the water, going to continue to rise. and once this ends on thursday as it shoots north. it is going to continue to rise after that. as the the rivers and, in the bayous come up and out of their banks dealing with flooding for months. 70s right now. for us. hard to talk what is going on in texas. we have skies and nice conditions. that's what we have to do. monday commute. dry through the day. jacket early in the morning. we are watching the system. and we are going to continue to watch this. tropical storm, outer banks through south carolina. going to bring rain in here. and friends to the south. we are going to see

and thunderstorms through here tuesday. as we continue through labor day. one thing i want to mention what is harvey right now is going to have to go some where. there is one model. protecting the rain. some may come in here for the weekend. as we make our plans for labor day weekend. >> can we go back. cynthia. >> flooding right now is a concern. weeks, months even? >> to clean up this. they have had devastating flooding. this will plaster records. for how much rain. unprecedented. unchartered territory. the worst of flooding. and even hurricane allison, it took weeks. it wasn't quite as much anywhere near as much rain as they're going to get. for what they see annually. >> all right, coming of in sports. nats doing extra work this sunday. double-header. and a thrilling end to

>> two games for the nationals, considering current standing. games feeling like spring training trying to incorporate players and keeping everyone healthy. this ball club, not easing up on their opponents. facing the nats. third career start. a three run home run to right. gives up five runs over six innings. michael a. taylor at the plate. men on the corners. rips one to the corner in left. scores. nats tie at 5 on a sac fly. one batter later. in the bottom of the ninth. down a run. daniel murphy. here we go again. base knock up the middle. pitcher. edwin, jackson, pinch-running. starting on first. waved home. see the bobble in

well out at the plate. nats fall short. losing, 6-5. on the mound for the night cap. 8:00 start. and, buck showwalter looking thrilled as you can see. os have within three straight going for the sweep in boston. doing work. man on. two out. rips this down the line in left. and off the monster. and scores easily. jones heads to second. and rbi double off former nationals pitcher, os up 1-0. very next batter. taking it the other way. this one bouncing over the wall. fair. rbi ground ruled double. skipping ahead. miguel castro. pitching with the bases loaded. gets caught looking. and, 13 on base. the game. hold on for the 2-1 win. three-game sweep. now 65, 65 on the

they're in the third, leading, 17-13. cousins leading the way will have more coming up tonight at 11:00. >> thank you so very much. thank you for joining us. nightly news next. want you to joan us,-- join us. facebook live, chart that has come out for harvey. the thought this can go out, strengthen, come back in. its just, dire. >> incredible

tonight, breaking news. historic flooding disaster. the nation's fourth largest city largely underwater as thousands in houston call for help. trying to escape the flooding being called unprecedented and catastrophic. tonight, the dramatic rescues by boat and air in houston. and beyond. including people trapped in a nursing home in rising flood waters. some of it bringing echoes of hurricane katrina. and a big question, did the mayor of houston do the right thing in not ordering an evacuation? we'll ask the governor of texas as the region braces for up to 50 inches of rain on top of widespread destruction, along the gulf from hurricane harvey. tonight, houston stretched to it's limits, now appealing to the public for boats to j t