Collapse and destroying home after home. Cars line up for the scarcity of fuel. Florida's big bend region reeling from its third hurricane in a year. Remnants of helene are still dumping rain on some areas while another storm could threaten the gulf coast next week. Our weather team times it all out. Also tonight, israel launches a large scale air operation against the houthi rebels in yemen while unleashing more attacks on targets in lebanon. Smoke is still rising from the scene where hezbollah's top leader was killed. Prime minister netanyahu insists it's the price to be paid for attacking israel. So what happens next? we're on the ground in lebanon and tel aviv. Evacuations orders outside atlanta after a fire sends toxic smoke into the air. When the flame starts out, it could become very, very dangerous roads are closed, smoke visible for miles. With just over a month until election day, former president trump blasts vice president kamala harris over her trip to the border and repeatedly calls her mentally disabled. That remark drawing strong criticism from members of both parties. A deadly plane crash near memorial to the world's first plane flight. Help has arrived for two astronauts left behind at the space station, but why it could still be months before they're able to return home. Tensions rise as tens of thousands of dock workers prepare to walk off the job. What a strike could mean for americans as we near the holiday season. Breaking news. Kris kristofferson has died. We remember the singer, songwriter, and actor who entertained us for decades. And america strong tonight. A community's spirit much more powerful than even the worst of storms. Announcer: from abc news world headquarters in new york, this is world news tonight. Linsey: good evening, everyone. Thanks so much for joining us on this busy sunday. I'm linsey davis. Days after hurricane helene slammed into the southeast, the race is on to save lives in parts of the carolinas. The storm is blamed for the deaths of more than 80 people across the region, but that number is expected to rise. Many are still unaccounted for in north carolina where helene knocked out communications making it difficult to reach people in more remote areas. Mudslides have made many roads impassable, cutting off entire communities. The devastation is widespread and catastrophic. Homes and businesses destroyed. North carolina's governor is calling is an unprecedented tragedy. Further south in florida's big bend, residents lined up at a seafood market turned into a donation center. Across the south there are shortages of essentials including gasoline. Abc's faith abubey leads us off tonight from asheville, north carolina. Reporter: tonight, widespread catastrophic damage across western north carolina in helene's wake. And across the southeast, the storm now claiming more than 80 lives and knocking out power to millions. In asheville, north carolina, helene and a separate system dumping 14 inches of rain combined. And as much as 30 inches in nearby mountains, triggering flash flooding and landslides. This is an unprecedented tragedy that requires an unprecedented response. Reporter: more than 500 national guards members joining local emergency responders, conducting search and rescue missions. Delivering supplies and working to restore infrastructure. Asheville's water system severely damaged too. It's heartbreaking because along this river we have a lot of wonderful stores and we're going to be cleaning up a long time. Reporter: residents facing long lines for gas all weekend. As the flooding peaked friday north of asheville in madison county, north carolina, floodwaters sweeping this home away. And across the border in green county, tennessee, the power of those floodwaters on display as they rip apart a bridge. In tennessee, where authorities used helicopters to rescue staff patients that were trapped, this is what it looks like now. The debris left behind. The high water mark visible on the walls. Everyone at the hospital made it out okay, but more than 70 people in the county are unaccounted for. Helene roared ashore in florida's big bend late thursday night, after rapidly intensifying, going from a category 1 to a category 4 storm in less than 12 hours. The seafood market now turned into a donation center. I feel helpless. Honestly, so i'm just doing what i can do. This is the third storm in a year. I don't know how much more we can take. Reporter: the area struck by three hurricanes since august of 2023. And here in asheville, linsey, the french broad river which is raging behind me, cresting at a new record level. Nearly 25 feet. That is more than a foot higher than the previous record set more than 100 years ago. Linsey. Linsey: one resident described it as a mini apocalypse. Such grave circumstances there. Faith, thank you. The remnants are dumping rain on already saturated ground in virginia as well as west virginia where flood watches are in place. Brittany bell joins us now. Tell us what you know about that and also a new disturbance that's heading for the gulf of mexico. Reporter: linsey, we still have two months left of hurricane season so we cannot let our guard down. First, i want to start talking about helene's remnants that still are dumping rain across portions of west virginia and virginia that recently received 2 to 6 inches of rain prompting a flood watch. Those showers will stretch into the overnight hours, getting showers all day monday. Through tuesday, rainfall totals could range between 2 to 3 inches in these areas. And richmond could get closer to 3 to 5 inches of rain. Now, let's talk about the next tropical threat. That is forming in the caribbean sea. That will eventually move to the gulf of mexico later this week. At that time, it could become a tropical depression or a tropical storm. Possibly making landfall next weekend so everyone along the gulf coast needs to watch this very closely. Linsey: the last thing that area needs. Brittany, thank you. Outside of atlanta, evacuations were ordered when a fire at a chemical reignited today. Smoke and flames rising from the lab could be seen for miles. A fire broke out when water from a fire sprinkler reacted with a chemical. Firefighters initially put the flames out but they sparked up again hours later. No injuries have been reported but several major roads have been closed. The local fire chief said there is the third major fire at the plant in seven years. Now to the turmoil in the middle east. Today, israel conducted large scale air operation against houthi militant targets in yemen. Israel says the strikes were in response to recent attacks against israel by iran backed rebels. They continue to pound targets in lebanon. Today, president biden said he will talk to israeli prime minister netanyahu soon. Abc's marcus moore reporting from beirut tonight. Reporter: israel delivering a heavy blow tonight in yemen, conducting large scale air strikes against iranian backed houthis. A third front in this war now approaching a year of relentless and deadly fighting. Israel saying the assault comes after houthi militants fired a missile at tel aviv and that today's retaliation was intended to weaken the houthis and to send a message to iran. Both the houthis and hezbollah militants backed by iran have been designated terrorist organizations by the united states. Prime minister netanyahu today speaking at a press conference saying everyone sees the price paid by those who attack us. On saturday, a houthi spokesperson saying their attacks will continue, quote, until the aggression against gaza and lebanon stop. At the same time, israel threatening ground operations into lebanon. More than 100 people died today amid ongoing air strikes across the country. Hezbollah has fired back with its own missiles. Most of them intercepted in the skies above israel. The idf today announcing another senior hezbollah leader a member of the central council was killed in an air strike. And using u. S. Made bunker buster bombs, israel believes it took out much of hezbollah's top leadership, including the leader of the last 30 years. U. S. Officials say they only had a few minutes notice from the israelis before the strike. An israeli official telling abc news israel targeted the leader in part because he refused to separate the war in gaza from his group's attacks in northern israel. These images show a gaping crater in the stronghold of southern beirut. There's no question the hezbollah today is not the hezbollah it was even a week ago. Reporter: as the fighting escalates in the middle east, the u. S. Is still fighting for a ceasefire. As deaths mount, president biden today commenting on the violence. Can an all out war in the middle east be avoided? it has to be. We really have to avoid it. Reporter: and linsey, the body has been recovered but there's conflicting information tonight on when his funeral might take place. And also, iran's president tonight reacting to the attacks on iran's proxies saying, quote, we cannot accept such actions as they will not be left unanswered. We said a decisive reaction is necessary. Linsey: all eyes on iran. Marcus, thank you. Israel's strikes are stoking fears of a wider conflict. Smoke could still be seen rising from the rubble of friday's israeli strike that killed hezbollah's leader. Let's bring in abc's tom soufi burridge. The u. S. Says it will take every necessary measure to defend american personnel in the middle east. If iran retaliates. What are israeli officials saying about their next steps? reporter: they're saying israel's military campaign against hezbollah and lebanon is by no means over and the israeli officials i have spoken to today sound confident. One saying there is a sense of euphoria after the leader was killed. They believe hezbollah has been significantly degraded militarily, but they concede the group and its missiles still pose a real threat. As does hezbollah's backer, iran. If iran does hit back, quote, they'll be hit harder than they can imagine. The watch word is deterrence and israeli officials say that massive strike on the houthis tonight in yemen is part of it. The u. S. Now putting additional forces on heightened readiness to be deployed potentially to the region on short notice. Linsey. Linsey: tom soufi burridge, thanks. U. S. Officials say u. S. Recent targeted attacks inside syria have killed 37 terrorists. Including top leaders. The strikes were conducted separately in midseptember. The u. S. Says they were aimed at the leadership and operatives of isis. As well as an al qaeda affiliate in the region. They say they succeeded in disrupting terrorist operations. Now to the race for the white house, with just 36 days to go, vice president harris and former president trump are focusing on those allimportant swing states. Trump rallying today in mustwin pennsylvania, where he resumed his attacks on harris' mental capacity, while harris is in nevada. Here's abc's maryalice parks. Reporter: tonight, former president donald trump in battleground pennsylvania for the fourth time this month alone. Blasting vice president kamala harris' handling the u. S. Mexico border. They're coming into our cities and small towns here in pennsylvania and all over the country. These towns are petrified. Reporter: trump promising mass deportations if elected. His antiimmigrant message at the heart of his campaign. But it was his inflammatory comments saturday calling harris, quote, mentally impaired that drew ire from republican rivals and allies alike. Now he's questioning her mental competence. I think that's insulting not only to the vice president but to people that actually do have mental disabilities. The better course to take is to prosecute the case that her policies are destroying the country. Reporter: the vice president this weekend holding fundraisers in san francisco and los angeles, on the heels of her trip to arizona's border. Where she promised stricter border policies. Arizona's former republican senator jeff flake joining the ranks of republicans like liz and dick cheney endorsing harris. It's difficult to support a candidate who having lost an election tries to use the powers of the presidency to overturn that election. Reporter: and ahead of the first and only vice presidential debate tuesday, polls showing ohio senator jd vance trailing minnesota governor tim walz in popularity by 15 points, among registered voters. Minnesota republican congressman tom emmer helping vance prepare. Once he understands that tim walz is just going to try to deflect and go into this folksy whatever, he'll hold him accountable. Reporter: outside where harris has her rally in las vegas tonight, this is the second time coming to the state of nevada since launching her presidential campaign. The polls showing the race absolutely neck and neck here. Nevada interesting because it's showing the mixed bag on the economy, too. Vegas has been booming. But voters also talking about their concerns over issues like child care, housing, the cost of living. Linsey. Linsey: maryalice parks, thank you. I'll join david and the team for the coverage of the first and only vice presidential debate of the cycle hosted by cbs between governor tim walz and senator jd vance beginning at 8:00 p. M. Eastern. Tonight, the two astronauts aboard the internatio