Beloved member of the Nbc Family Al Rokers Tribute to the legendary Willard Scott. Announcer this is Nbc Nightly News with Lester Holt good evening. Im Tom Llamas in for Lester Tonight growing questions about how so many died from the powerful remnants of hurricane ida, and the new images coming in what police were up against when they tried to rescue a family trapped in a Basement Apartment Water everywhere childrens toys floating on the surface, and zero visibility underwater. The family, like so many in Basement Apartments here, did not make it out alive. And there are new fears right now in the south. A new Flash Flood Watch issued in and around New Orleans with some areas facing up to 4 inches of more rain half A Million residents there are still without power in the scorching heat all of this as the Death Toll continues to climb, especially in the northeast where President Biden is set to visit and its where we start tonight with Gabe Gutierrez in queens, new York Reporter as idas torrential rain pounded new York City, officers frantically tried to reach this flooded basement but when specialized rescue teams got there, it was too late three people had already drowned. This storm has now rewritten the maps we used to think flooding was a coastal thing. Its not anymore. Reporter in a city where affordable housing is hard to come by, the Storms Aftermath is raising new questions about whether the northeast is prepared for climate change, and whether local officials gave enough warning. The water got all the way up here. Up to the window. Reporter and in another building in queens, Danette Rivera was also trapped inside her basement. Did you ever expect this much water . Never, absolutely not. Look at this. Its a disaster. Reporter this is what it looked like outside. The water was gushing in gushing in. We were locked in to the basement there was no way out. Reporter her son, who is blind, managed to reach through this window and pull her to safety. When it started to go above my head, i thought i was going to die. Reporter in new York City 13 people died in new jersey, at least 27 four are still missing, including two College Students who witnesses say were swept away by rushing water. Please, pray for them, pray for them, please Everybody Pray for them. Reporter President Biden now set to tour manville, new Jersey Tomorrow Home after home, basement after basement flooded out insurance adjusters are expected here over the coming days, but the agonizing cleanup is only just beginning. A lot of memories here yes, absolutely reporter Karen Payer survived The Storm in her home, caring for her elderly mother, a quadriplegic who couldnt easily be evacuated by boat. I looked around and i dont know where to start, you know i dont. I dont know reporter so many families in that same position and gabe, there were also so many deaths. And now leaders in New York are facing criticism for not warning residents earlier about The Storm. Yeah, thats right, tom. The mayor of new York City says hes implementing new severe Weather Warning systems and new Basement Evacuation plans. Tom . All right, gabe, thank you. And we are tracking that new Storm Threat to louisiana. For hundreds of thousands there, the crisis only getting worse tonight. Our Vaughn Hilliard is there. Reporter eight days after ida, half A Million in louisiana are still without power. Some communities surrounded by standing water, homes gone. Theres not a person on this side thats not suffering reporter Katie Arias Home overtaken by Floodwaters Furniture tossed to the mud. Youre drowning and youre reaching up and saying help me and no ones coming. Reporter officials say the total number of destroyed power poles higher than hurricanes katrina, ike, Delta And Zeta combined the national guard now operating a floating bridge to one town completely cut off by floodwaters. These waters and mud with Nowhere To Go the mud keeps coming and coming and coming, you know. Reporter concerns also rising about the most vulnerable. No lights, no water. No hot water, no hot meals or Nothing Reporter over the weekend, 600 residents evacuated from eight senior centers after the Health Department deemed them unfit for ongoing occupancy. Nobody showed up, nobody not one person showed up to come check on us reporter the city says five are dead what we found was unacceptable reporter meanwhile, seven now dead and the State Attorney General is demanding answers after more than 800 Nursing Home residents were evacuated to this warehouse and left on cots in floodwaters. People shouldnt be treated like that. You should be held accountable. Reporter but also, small miracles chained up and trapped under debris, Animal Rescuers found this pup, bubbles, who survived for four days like many here, looking for a new home Vaughn Hilliard, nbc news, lafitte, louisiana. And on this Labor Day, health officials are concerned that the millions of americans traveling and gathering in crowds to mark the unofficial end of summer could cause another covid surge just as a new School Year begins more on that now from guad venegas. Reporter Tonight Millions Of Americans are flocking to vacation hot spots this Holiday Weekend, despite a cdc warning the unvaccinated should stay close to home if people arent vaccinated, they shouldnt Travel Reporter the tsa reporting 5. 3 million passengers crossing Airport Security since friday, more than double the numbers seen at this point during Labor Day weekend last year. Im going to disney world. The Covid Numbers in Florida Scare me, but im vaccinated. Reporter many making their way to stadiums, music festivals, and beaches across the country yet the spread of the virus rages on the number of reported cases reaching 40 Million in the u. S now Health Experts fear the Holiday Weekend could be another Super Spreader just as kids are returning to the classroom. You should especially be cautious about travel if you have children in school or starting school soon, because most cases of transmission are likely to happen during travel, and those could be cases you carry into the classroom. Reporter with covid already forcing at least 1400 Inperson School closures since the beginning of this School Year, recent data from the American Academy Of Pediatrics indicates more than one in five new cases are in children. Only thing im worried about is my daughter who is unvaccinated, obviously because she is 4 reporter and with no vaccine available for children 12 and under, parents are doing what they can to protect their kids while keeping them in school all right, gaud joins us now gaud, we have an update now on the Vaccine Booster shots expected to begin September 20th well, this Weekend Dr. Fauci said approval of the Moderna Booster will be delayed past that deadline and there is no booster approved for johnson johnson. So its likely pfizer will be the only Booster Vaccine available the week of the 20th Tom . Guad venegas for us, gaud, thank you. We head overseas now to afghanistan with the taliban claiming total control, four americans were able to get out, but at least 100 more are still trapped there, including some on planes not allowed to take off one stranded american saying theyre being hunted by the taliban. Here is Molly Hunter Reporter Tonight, the taliban claims theyve taken the last holdout in afghanistan, raising their flag in the panjshir valley, though the main Resistance Group denies it. Now the u. S. State department says four americans were able to leave afghanistan over land, saying theyre in good condition, not revealing their location according to the White House, that leaves around 100 americans still in afghanistan, more than a week after President Biden withdrew u. S. Forces in northern afghanistan on the tarmac at mazare sharif, americans are stuck on charter planes. Six airplanes with american citizens on them as i speak also with these interpreters and the taliban is holding them hostage for demands right now. Reporter the White House says theyre not aware of any Hostage Situation and are working to get americans out, but a top democrat now blasting the biden administration for americans still stranded at that airport. Senator Richard Blumenthal saying, i have been deeply frustrated, even furious at our Governments Delay and inaction. But the State Department says they have no control over that airfield. Then there is 25yearold masria, an american from california who is pregnant and trapped in afghanistan, here speaking to voice of america. There has been days where, you know, i think to myself, i say am i going to make it home am i going to end up living here . Am i going to end up dying here reporter before u. S. Forces withdrew, she scrambled to the airport with her american passport, but the taliban didnt let her through. I got a gun pointed to my head Reporter Tonight she says the taliban are hunting down americans. Now tens of thousands of vulnerable afghans were also left behind. International flights are still not taking off from kabul, and traveling over land is dangerous. Here in pakistan, the government is really only letting people into the country who have all the right documents or who need serious medical Care Tom . Molly hunter with that update from the region, molly, thank you. In just 60 seconds, the crisis for millions of americans as Unemployment Benefits run out, and our tv exclusive, the accuser whose allegations landed Bill Cosby in prison is speaking out for the first time since his release. Today Unemployment Benefits were either drastically cut or eliminated for more than 10 Million americans. So will the loss of this Lifeline Push more people back into the workforce, or will the Delta Variant keep slowing progress here is stephanie ruhle. Reporter Tonight Unemployment benefits are over for 7. 5 million americans. Another Three Million will see their weekly Checks Cuts by 300. It comes as hiring slowed in august, likely due to the surge of the Delta Variant. Brooke whitford delivered groceries when the pandemic started. She scaled back her hours over covid concerns and a drop in wages. She has been on unemployment since april of last year knowing this date was coming up, whats it been like for you . Stressful the one word i can say stressful. Put me in kind of a slump, kind of a Depression Reporter Whitford says she has applied for over 150 jobs over the last few months, but so far no offers i dont meet the criteria or theyve already hired somebody. Reporter for every eight people who lost their Unemployment Benefits in june, only one found a new job. Reasons include a lack of Child Care and the growing mismatch between the jobs available and people looking for Work Weve never cut off benefits for this many people all in one fell swoop. Unemployment comes fast, but finding a job can often take a lot of time. Reporter but with a record 10 Million jobs now available, many Business Owners like joseph hope the end of benefits help them find much needed workers. The Bakery Owner has already begun to see more applicants. I wont call it a flood. I would say it was morph a trickle. But yes, we did see an uptick in people that were interested. Reporter tom, nearly 800 Billion was spent on federal pandemic unemployment. People used that money for rent, medication, food now what were watching for is how long will it take for people to get jobs how will they get by without that money, and how will that impact Consumer Spending Tom . Reporter thank you. With the spotlight on jobs this Labor Day, imagine working and never getting paid its a growing problem called Wage Theft, especially during rebuilding efforts after disasters. Our Cynthia Mcfadden started investigating last year after a powerful storm ripped through Iowa Reporter last summer in the midst of the pandemic, a historic storm lashed through Cedar Rapids, iowa, leaving billions of dollars in damages across the state you can tell how many buildings were damaged. There was another building right there at the corner that got completely destroyed Reporter Pablo Ramirez hired a group of Construction Workers from texas and mexico to come help. Most of the workers did not speak english. He says he did not ask their immigration Status Ramirez hired the men as a Labor Broker for blusky, a Restoration Construction Company based in colorado. Ramirez says he and the workers stayed here at one of the sites they were supposed to rehab. The conditions deplorable they were not rentable they were not rentable. Reporter for over three weeks, the men say they worked without getting paid by ramirez or blusky, which had estimated revenues last year of 100 Million by the end of the month, they had run out of food. Royce peterson is the head of the local carpenters union. In desperation, the workers turned to him for help. We found out that these six workers hadnt eaten in four days. Reporter nothing nothing. I said go buy them some groceries lets get these guys fed. Reporter even though they werent union members . Were out there to fight for the workers against unscrupulous contractors, no matter who you are, if youre union or not reporter when ramirez told blusky The Union was involved, he says they told him to fire the workers, who now had no food, no cash, and no place to live this is where the guys stayed, the six . Yep, where they came. Reporter reverend John Grebe opened his church to the workers. Who slept among the pews that first night. How long did it take you to decide you were going to cook them a meal less than five minutes. Reporter you gave them the keys to the church yes, i did. Reporter literally . They werent strangers. They were just people i didnt know. Reporter meanwhile, a Picket Line was set up outside the Workers Job Site the demand pay them. Pay them the back wages and pay them for their travel expenses. Reporter facing mounting backlash, two Blusky Executives flew in, agreeing to pay the workers after a day of negotiations. In exchange for Nondisclosure Agreements Wage Theft victims are usually low wage workers, sometimes undocumented who are often too intimidated to complain. Experts say some companies hide behind Labor Brokers, claiming they never promised the Workers Anything in a statement to nbc news, blusky says their Labor Broker was the problem. The issue in Cedar Rapids arose because mr. Ramirez failed to pay the people he personally hired, despite blusky having paid mr. Ramirez for that same Work Blusky says youre the one who messed this up yeah, they can say whatever they want, but they know the truth. Reporter its estimated over 15 Billion is stolen from workers every year it truly is an invisible epidemic some of the wealthiest investors in the world are profiting from the work from some of the lowest paid workers. Reporter investors like dominus capital, a New Yorkbased private equity firm, which is a Majority Owner of blusky. Dominus did not respond to numerous requests for comments, and blusky declined to be interviewed but Pablo Ramirez says because of all this he lost his home, did agree to talk. Do you feel guilty yes, i feel guilty for bringing my own people here to have them work and not getting paid. Reporter when we contacted blusky, they announced theyd be expanding their existing Oversight Program to make sure partners paid workers fairly, accurately and on time. Meanwhile, weve learned the city officials have blusky under scrutiny in city of Minneapolis Tom . Cynthia, thanks for that we are back in a moment with incredible footage of rescue of a little boy lost in the australian wilderness for more than three days stay with us back now with news of an incredible rescue in australia where a 3yearold boy has been missing for three days a Helicopter Crew finding little a. J. , you see him there, who has autism and is nonverbal, sitting by a creek, drinking water. More than 130 people assisted in this rescue, which a. J. s father called a miracle. Now to our tv exclusive. Her allegations of Sexual Assault sent Bill Cosby to prison now more than two months after Cosbys Conviction was overturned and he was set free, Andrea Constand is breaking her silence with our kate snow. I was really shocked. I was really shocked, disappointed reporter what does this say about the american Justice System that its flawed. Reporter and you can see much more of Kates Interview with Andrea Constand tomorrow on Today Right here on nightly news. And tributes are pouring in tonight for Actor Michael k. Williams famous for his Breakout Role as Omar Little on tvs the wire, one of the series most Memorable Characters Williams also starred in Boardwalk Empire and Emmy Nominees right now for his work on lovecraft country. Williams was found dead in his brooklyn apartment. No cause of death has been released. He was 54 years old. When we come back, nbcs Al Roker remembers his mentor, Willard Scott for the lessons and legacy he left behind. Stay with us finally, were saying goodbye to a beloved member of our Nbc Family tonight Al Roker honors the legacy of his friend and mentor, Willard Scott. Willard scott changed my life, and not for the obvious reasons. Oh, sure, he took me under his wing, and he helped a young kid wet behind the ears learn how to do television, how to be yourself, how to take knocks when people push you down and youre able to get right back up and the idea that somebody could be so selfdeprecating they asked me who my favorite Rock Star was, and thats exactly what i did eddie weed. Reporter and yet touched so many, was only part of his charm, only part of his Secret Weapon. His Secret Weapon was people he loved people. Guess what people loved him back. There are those who could say he was corny or he was just downright oldfashioned, and you know what . He was and if being oldfashioned means that you cherish folks, that you keep them close, that being a great dad and a husband and a grandfather means something to you, then count me in for oldfashioned. Willard told me once never give up your Day Job and always be yourself and try to live those words every day. When people use the term mentor, its bandied about so easily to willard, he wasnt mentoring me he was just taking care of me 101 years old look at that still has his own hair. Reporter and just like he took care of all those 100yearolds that people had forgotten, he celebrated. And thats why im not really sad about willards passing. Ill be seeing you reporter oh, dont get me wrong im going miss him i miss him every day but you know what . It was such a great life that spanned the invention of a medium that he conquered and he did it well and our thanks to al for sharing those memories with us and our thoughts and prayers with willards Family Tonight thats nightly news for this monday. Thank you so much for watching Im Tom Llamas have a great night whats happening in your world next on Nbc Bay Area news tonight. Battling fire after fire. This weekend, firefighters called to a new and dangerous blaze not far from the one already burning near tahoe. So how do you shift focus when crews are already stretched thin in we talk to Cal Fire about their change in strategy to keep up with whats ahead in this very brutal fire season. Skies look clear, but dont be fooled. The Air Quality not good. We break down why should limit your time outside. Nd californians just lost Unemployment Benefits. Will it push more people back into the