scrambling to cover the cost. and the swimmer defying the odds and inspiring america. announcer: this is nbc nightly news with lester holt good evening, everyone when it rains it pours, but rarely like this tonight, an unraveling emergency continues to unfold across swaths of the southwest as severe flooding leaves several areas under water or caked in mud. in texas, arizona, and new mexico fast rising floodwaters triggered some harrowing rescues and shut down major thoroughfares. dallas coming off its second longest dry spell ever, 67 straight days without rain only to now be facing what weather experts say is a 1,000-year flood east of dallas, storm totals approaching 15 inches downtown dallas more than 12 1/2. at dfw airport 7.8 inches of rain falling in just 3 hours. now even as the weather system moves eastward, rain is still in the forecast for some hard-hit areas. miguel almaguer has a look at what they re facing reporter: the record rainfall in cities like
challenges are the point and that s why on friday morning rob leapt again from a boat into waters so cold it gives you a headache. swimmer in the water. there s no inspiration like having been paralyzed. reporter: the friend who pulled him from the water when he was first paralyze joined him from the last few feet, but rob emerged on his own the image of alcatraz as a prison and the feeling and experience of bein paralyzed it feels like being in prison, and it seems like a fitting, hopefully for me, an end to the story. jake ward, nbc news, san francisco. what a journey. don t tell him he can t do anything. that s nightly news for this monday. thank you for watching, everyone i m lester holt. please take care of yourself and each other. good night