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homes and businesses have no electricity. well over 2 it 10,000 people have applied for federal disaster assistance, and the national flood insurance program has received 37,000 claims. >> morgan: before the rain stopped, cedar bayou received nearly 52 inches, a record for the continental u.s., and overnight storm moved east toward the louisiana border. we have reports from anna werner and michelle miller. first, here's anna. >> reporter: demarco, we were our way to beaumont, but we had to stop here, just some 29 miles out because the highway we were traveling on now ends right here in what looks like a lake. and from high up above, it's easy to see why rescuers are having so much trouble getting into this area. 100 miles east of houston, tropical storm harvey unleashed high winds, rain, and flash floods o p

night. >> every highway is closed so we can't get out anymore. we can't evacuate. >> reporter: the coast guard plucked people like this mother and baby off their rooftops in college station, texas. in pine island bayou, civilians threw a life line to a man who clung to a tree in floodwaters for five hours. >> we were screaming and hollering at him, hollering at him. and we really thought we lost him. but he hollered out he grabbed some vines on's tree and we drove the boat as fast as we could on the trees. >> reporter: rising waters forced staffers at this port arthur nursing home to evacuate more than 70 patients. >> i waded through the water, and somebody gave me a ride in the boat down the hill. it just breaks my heart. >> no, no, don't be sorry. >> reporter: officials are pleading for help from anyone with a boat. >> search-and-rescue! >> people like mark wiexpat zach mormon from dallas are responding to the call. why are you doing this? >> well, i just want to help people

>> reporter: i'm michelle miller in orange, texas, just 23 miles north of port arthur. over here, the north orange baptist church turned makeshift shelter as one of the last options for the entire town. two other shelters flooded out overnight. >> the water is flowing in. we've got a river. >> reporter: in port arthur, at least two shelters flooded their, too. >> everybody is in. >> reporter: nearly 400 are crowding here-- the elderly, the sick, young families, like craig barefield's. they woke up with water in their bedroom. >> i'm just happy i have my family here, and as long as we're smiling, we'll be okay. god got us. >> reporter: as tropical storm harvey came back ashore just 80 miles east of here in louisiana, we saw the predawn desperation in orange firsthand. >> it is unbelievable how many cars are stranded along i-10. some two feet of rain fell in just 24

these assisted living residents had to be rescued by boat and driven here to north orange baptist by truck. nurse teresa shipp says they had no choice. how did you get them out? >> just like this. we've been working since 5:30 this morning. >> reporter: don flannery used his boat to get them to safety. >> my heart just-- i just have to hold it together so i can help these people. >> reporter: and this is why boats are so vital here. we're just half a mile away from where the shelter is, and surrounding neighborhoods look like this-- streets flowing like bayous. demarco. >> morgan: all right, michelle, thank you for that report. in northeast houston, a van was swept off a bridge and swallowed by floodwaters on sunday. trapped inside were four children and two adults. and today we learned their fate. jericka duncan has this story. >> reporter: it was the worst possible discovery for the

saldivar family. police found the white van, where the family of six had been trapped by a wall of water that swept them off the road. on monday, andrew saldivar described to us how he tried in vain to get help. >> the water took the whole van and went into a ditch. my uncle jumped out, the national guard ran over and tried to open the doors and couldn't get the doors open. all my neetion and nephews drown. >> reporter: it was confirmed four children, ages six to 16 died along with their great-grandparents. they tried desperately to escape the roaring floodwaters at the height of the storm. >> and it just swept the van back and it got embanked but it was under least four feet of water so it wasn't visible at the time. >> reporter: the uncle, the only one to make it out of the van, visited the grim scene with friends and family. when they were ready to leave, police gently escorted them away. since harvey made landfall, at least 11 people have died, mainly due to floodwaters. and, demarco, the sheriff here says that number willik

rise. >> morgan: jericka duncan reporting. jericka, thank you. omar villafranca went along today with a navy helicopter makes rescues in port arthur, texas. >> reporter: we are riding with the navy helicopter squadron 7. this is the seventh person that they have rescued here in this area, the seventh just in this neighborhood alone. what they've been doing is flying in from college station several hundred miles away, about 150 miles away, coming to the bomoment, port arthur area, where harvey hit overnight. and at this point, they are looking for anyone who may need help. people have put white towels or white shirts by their house indicating they need help. we see at least four or five rescue helicopters, the coast guard, the navy, and other agencies here that are trying to help whoever needs help. this right now seems to be the hot spot where there are a lot of airborne

many of the roads we can't. they're really just nonexistent at this point. people coming up are telling us that the water is cold, that they've been sitting in three feet of water for a very long time. one of the first rescues that came up with an older woman. she wasn't able to get her medication, but her son-in-law, who was also rescued, was able to grab her bible. and he said, "we're going to need it." omar villafranca, cbs news, port arthur, texas. >> morgan: just fascinating to watch there. in crosby, texas, residents within a mile and a half of the arc machemical plant have been told to stay away from their homes. the plant was swamped by six feet of water and lost all refrigeration. the chief executive says he expects dangerous chemicals to catch fire or explode, and the company has no way to prevent it. so why was harvey so devastating to houston? some experts tell us the gulf of mexico is as much as seven

warm water fuels hurricanes, but that's not the only factor. here's manuel bojorquez. >> reporter: harvey dumped a year's-worth of rain on houston in a matter of days, shattering last year's rainfall, and bringing this year's total to an unprecedented 73 inches. was this just a natural disaster? >> no. no, this was a climate movie influenced storm. there's no question. >> reporter: jim blackburn of rice university has studied the effects of storms on cities for nearly 40 years. he said when harvey came ashore, the storm laid bare another problem decades in the make ago the paving over natural lands and prairie. >> we covered our sponge up. the sponge we had here was wonderful. it would hold water. in order to develop it, you had to brain drainit. >> reporter: since the

of wet lands have disappeared in the houston area due to development, and the region's system of canals and bayous are overwhelmed by increasingly heavy storm system. >> basically, harvey is the new norm. >> reporter: blackburn says a photo of nursing home residents in waist-deep floodwater illustrates the problem. they were rescued but it was built directly across from a flood plain boundary. >> and part of it is giving-- either getting an adequate amount of room for that water to come through the city, which means buyouts, evacuation, and sort of green space and-- >> reporter: so not rebuilding in some areas. >> not rebuilding in some areas. >> reporter: and, he says, moving past a politically charged debate in a way many can understand. it's not just about the environment. it's about money. >> houston's economy has been disrupted. we're going to have a hard time recovering, and we're going to wear the brand of having this on us. this is what the climate scientists have been telling us would happen. >> reporter: it's a game

changer. >> absolutely it's a game changer. >> reporter: this road leads to a neighborhood where hundreds of homes are still flooded. it's one blackburn would argue against rebuilding because it's near a reservoir where water had to be released to prevent the dam from failing. demarco. >> morgan: box. manny, thank you. tonight, harvey is still producing troms-force winds of 40 miles an hour near the louisiana coast, and another four to eight inches of rain may fall there. harvey is expected to take a turn to the northeast tomorrow. tennessee and kentucky will see heavy rain by friday. i'm demarco morgan. i'll have much more from houston later in the broadcast. for now, the news continues with anthony mason in new york. anthony. >> mason: thanks, demarco. president trump was back on prompter today talking about the disaster in houston and striking a different tone than he did when he visited texas yesterday. here's chip reid. >> to those affected by this storm, we are praying for you and we are here with you. >> reporter: in

today, president trump had words of comfort for the victims of hurricane harvey. >> to those americans who have lost loved ones, all of america is grieving with you. >> reporter: a sharp contrast from yesterday in texas, where his visit at times sounded like a political rally. >> what a crowd! what a turnout! >> reporter: while in texas, the president repeatedly mentioned the power of the storm. >> i will tell you, this is historic. it's epic what happened, but you know what? it happened in texas, and texas can handle anything. >> reporter: but not once did he mention those who had died or the thousands struggling to survive. critics say he failed to show the empathy expected of a president in times like these. this morning, though, perhaps recognizing his mistake, the president started the day with a consoling tweet that said, "after witnessing firsthand the horror and devastation caused by hurricane harvey, my heart goes out even more so to the great people of texas." but the

he saw the devastation firsthand has given his critics even more to chew on. that's because the reporters who were in the presidential motorcade in texas yesterday say they never got close enough to see the damage firsthand. anthony. >> mason: chip reid at the white house. thanks, chip. the president was in missouri today to talk up his tax overhaul plan at a manufacturing plant in springfield. he called for quick action by congress to reduce what he called "the crushing tax burden on companies and workers." he gave no specifics other than cutting the corporate tax rate from 35% to 15%. coming up next on the cbs evening news, the president and his defense secretary are sending mixed signals about the north korean nuclear threat. and later, a new treatment uses a patient's own cells to destroy cancer.

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>> mason: president trump and his defense secretary are making conflicting statements on north korea's nuclear threat. today, the north vowed to launch more missiles just days after its latest test firing. david martin has more on that. >> reporter: kim jong-un rose before dawn to oversee preparations for the launch. an intermediate-range missile that for the first time overflew japan and landed in the pacific 1700 miles away. he seemed more than a little pleased with the result, which the north korean news agency said was a drill for an attack that would shut down the american airbase on guam. president trump, who just last week said kim was starting to show a little respect for the u.s., responded angrily. "talking is not the answer" he tweeted this morning, seeming to rule out the possibility that

building crisis with north korea. ♪ ♪ but just a few hours later, the secretary of defense, meeting with his south korean counter-part, sounded less belligerent. >> we're never out of diplomatic solutions. we continue to work together and the minister and i share a responsibility to provide for the protection of our nations, our populations and our interests. >> reporter: that protection depends in part on ballistic missile defenses that could shoot down incoming north korean missiles. last night, in a long-scheduled test, the navy fired this intercepter, which succeeded in shooting down a medium-range missile, similar to this one being developed by north korea. but it's not all defense. late today, b-1 bombers were scheduled to take off from guam and joinud with korean and and japanese fighters to conduct training at a bombing range in south korea. flights by long-range bombers have become a standard response to north korean missile tests, but they don't

any success in convincing kim jong-un to back off. so the pentagon is now considering the use of cyber attacks that would do real damage to north korea. anthony. >> mason: david martin at the pentagon. thank you, david. and when we come back, a revolutionary way to fight cancer gets government approval. ..and a high risk for fracture, so with our doctors... ...we chose prolia®... ...to help make our bones stronger. only prolia® helps strengthen bones... ...by stopping cells that damage them... ...with 1 shot every 6 months. do not take prolia® if you have low blood calcium, are pregnant, are allergic to it, or take xgeva®. serious allergic reactions, like low blood pressure; trouble breathing; throat tightness; face, lip or tongue swelling... ...rash, itching or hives have happened. tell your doctor about dental problems, as severe jaw bone... ...problems may happen or new or unusual pain in your hip groin, or thigh, as unusual thigh bone fractures have occurred. peak to your doctor before stopping prolia®, as spine and other bone fractures have occurred.

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>> mason: the food and drug administration today approved the first gene therapy to fight leukemia. treatment turns a patient's blood cells into cancer killers. jim axelrod shows how it works. >> reporter: after battling leukemia for years, mitchelle caob got devastating news-- the cancer had spread to husband brain. >> three years of fighting, all the acfieses i made. it just seemed like it was all wasted. >> reporter: but hope for the now-19-year-old came in the form of a trial run by dr. stephan grupp at children's hospital of philadelphia. >> this is a brand-new

treat cancer. >> reporter: in the trial, a patient's t-cells, or white blood cells that fight infections, were removed, shipped to a lab, and genetically modified to recognize cancer cells. those new t-cells were then put back in the body, ready to search out and destroy the cancer. >> these are patients who have no prospect for long-term disease control, who get a single infusion of the cells, and many of them remain in remission. >> reporter: after just one infusion two years ago, he is now cancer-free, part of a trial group that saw an 83% remission rate. >> just the fact that i even get a future is just completely remarkable. i shouldn't be alive right now. >> reporter: so far, the f.d.a. has approved this treatment only for this one type of childhood leukemia, but approval for battling lymphoma or cancer of the lymph nodes could be next. >> mason: what an amazing and encouraging story, jim,h

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houston, just outside the main evacuations here. as the rain fell, donations poured in as well. more than $110 million so far. and it seems everyone wants to help. bee end tonight with david begnaud and a businessman who has an especially soft touch. >> these are my people-- black, white, brown, white-- it doesn't matter. these are my people and i have to help my people. >> reporter: jim mcingvale has been a houston celebrity for 22 years. "mattress mac," as he's known, is doing something the city never asked him to do-- when houston flooded he offered his showroom as a sanctuary. >> i got to beru

myself is about taking care of the community and doing what i can in my own little way to help these people realize that there's a light at the end of the tunnel. >> reporter: so on sunday, he opened his 160,000-square-foot show room and told people to make themselves at home. >> you need something, let me know. >> yes, sir >> calls from people desperate, "come get me. i'm drowning. my kid are here. get me the hell out of here." that made me do tyou know. >> reporter: so did a mother who walked in at 2:00 a.m. with her husband and a young son. >> the child is crying, shaking. he comes up to me at the front desk and she says, "can we stay here?" >> reporter: i get the sense you don't say no very often. >> my father never could say no. i don't, either. >> you doing all right over here, sir? >> reporter: mcingvale estimates it's costing $30,000 a day to do this, just like he did after hurricane katrina. compliment him, you can. just don't call him a hero.

that have been flood out. the heros are the gallery furniture employees who are unsinkable. the heroes is the entire community. forget democratic, republican, left, right, they're all coming together in a spirit of solidarity taig year texans helping each other. >> reporter: there's a tremble in your voice. >> it's what i believe. it's who i am. it's what i do. it's what my wife and i are trying to teach our children-- service above self. >> reporter: david begnaud, cbs news, houston. >> morgan: there are good people everywhere. that's the cbs evening news. i'm demarco morgan in houston. >> mason: "mattress mac" and a lot of great people in houston helping out. thank you, demarco. i'm anthony mason in new york. thank you for watching. good night.

the government wasn't prepared. the mayor wasn't prepared. >> people are so generous. a lot of people said i have to get out of the house. i am going to go help. >> texas we will come through this and come through this process even stronger. there is more to come. the worst is not yet over for southeast texas. it is far from over folks. harvey continues to slam east texas and louisiana. >> it will eventually head this way. we're going to get more on how it will impact us for the holidays but first take a look at this. new aerial video of houston. a third of the city now covered in water. you can see some drivers taking chances on the flooded