Businesses open their doors. And President Trump on the ground in texas. This was of epic proportions. No one has ever seen anything like this. The president s promise to flood victims tonight. And good evening. Thanks for joining us on this tuesday. Im tom llamas in for david, and tonight, houston is staggering under the destruction and human need. The rain from Tropical Storm harvey now surpassing all records. Several reservoirs now breached. More neighborhoods flooded. Homes with water to the roof line. A coast guard helicopter crew rescuing this woman from several feet of water. More than 9,000 people at the citys downtown shelter. Nearly double capacity. Churches and mosques now stepping in to help, and the president and first lady, visiting texas. Pledging a recovery effort that is better than ever before. Tonight, as the death toll is rising, the center of the storm is now back over the gulf, eparing for another strike. Reporter tonight, with harvey on the move, rescuers arent slowing down. Parts of the storm zone near a breaking point. Dont give up on us. Seek higher ground. We will get to you. Reporter more than 1,000 in houston still waiting for help. Its all the way up to the roofs guys, up to the eaves. I hate to think there are people in these houses. Reporter rescues playing out live on our station, ktrk. There they are. Were coming to get you. Im going to put this, and give you this microphone. Well watch it as it happens. Let it play out, jeff. Jeff as he always does, and oh, there goes the video. Its frozen. There it is. There it is. All of the reporters, they have been actively engaged and just trying to be involved in the story. She is hugging jeff. I know. My goodness. Reporter coast guard baskets hoisting so many of those trapped to safety. Helmet cameras showing the White Knuckle ride to their choppers above. We saw up close how the death toll could rise in the coming days. Behind me in the parking lot of this restaurant, theres a body. Its behind that ambulance, but it appears with the water now receding in houston, its revealing the true horror of the storm. At least eight confirmed deaths, including Houston Police sergeant, steve perez, who drowned in flood waters just two days shy of his 61st birthday. We couldnt find him, and once our dive team got there, it was too treacherous to go under and look for him, so we made a decision to leave officers there waiting until the morning because as much as we wanted to recover him last night, we could not put more officers at risk for we knew in our hearts it was going to be a recovery mission. Reporter many more missing. Including six of rick saldovars family members. Four children, the youngest just 6 years old, and their great grandparents. They were trapped in their van and swept away by flood waters. Ricks brother, the only survivor. Its been a nightmare just waiting. Reporter hows your brother doing . He is blaming himself, of course. He keeps blaming himself. Every time we go to hang up, he says, im so sorry. Its not your fault. You didnt know. Reporter and there still is chaos in some parts of the houston area. At this supermarket in the northeast section of the city, people scavenging in the waters and some entering the locked store, coming out with their arms full. For some seeking shelter, a traumatic episode. Evacuees coming to the Houston Convention center in dump trucks. Almost all of them have lost everything. This is the Convention Floor where so many of those people are sleeping. They had originally planned for 5,000. Thats how many cots they have. But now they have more than 9,000 at this point in the morning. So you can see people are spread out sleeping wherever they can. Some people have air mattresses, but a lot of people are sleeping on this cold, tile floor right now. We found 18yearold talia castro outside the convention hall, in a separate area, she told us her baby and three nephews were rescued by helicopter. Its too cold to sleep on the Convention Floor, so they moved to a carpeted area. He is crawling so i dont want him to get hurt, and its really packed out there. Reporter the red cross telling me they wont turn anyone away who needs help. Were going to put a roof over peoples head and get them safe. Reporter and the red cross and the city undertaking a massive effort to shelter all those in need. Also working around the clock, First Responders rescuing thousands of people here in the flood zone with little sleep and under the most difficult of circumstances. And sometimes, they have to come to the rescue of their own families. Heres abcs eva pilgrim. Reporter we took off before dawn with this team of volunteers on a rescue mission to pearland, texas, just south of houston. Overnight rain pouring into homes that until now had been dry. Leaving people trapped. Theres an eerie quiet, but then where are they at . Reporter right away, we hear calls for help from a stranded family. Are you okay . When did the water start creeping up over here . Sunday. Sunday morning, we woke up and it was like that, and it just never went down. Reporter we meet michael gibson, a firefighter whos been rescuing people for four days. But this morning hes not a first responder, but a son. My parents called they said they were under water. I got to. Reporter we weave through a graveyard of cars, finally reaching their home. My hands are a little cold, but were going to sit up here, okay . Getting them to safety. Then michael joining with this team of fishing buddies turned rescuers, going back to his old neighborhood. How many are in there . Two there, and one there. Reporter coast guard choppers hovering above. Ready to help. For hours they scour this area. Saving family after family. These volunteers repeatedly returning to do it all again. Right now, Everybody Needs help, so we have to come help them. Were a little different down here in the republic of texas. We look after each other, and take care of our own. Texas strong right there, and eva joins us right now from pearland. Eva, are there still people in that neighborhood who need a rescue tonight . Reporter tom, the coast guard estimates about 300 people were rescued from that neighborhood. But we spoke to several people who made the decision to stay. If the water keeps rising, those rescuers may have to go back in that neighborhood to get them, tom. That decision to stay or go so complicated. All right, eva. Thank you so much. President trump traveling to texas today saying he wants this Natural Disaster to be managed better than any other. He visited with officials in Corpus Christi and austin, and also took a moment to great regular people who showed up to see him, waving the texas flag. Abcs senior white house correspondent, cecilia vega, in rockport tonight. Reporter President Trump and the first lady arriving in Corpus Christie today. Inside a local fire house, a sit down with state officials and the head of fema. Its a real team, and we want to do it better than ever before. We want to be looked at in five years, in ten years from now as, this is the way to do it. Reporter the president Offering High praise for the officials in the room, but with this caveat. We wont say congratulations. We dont want to do that. We dont want to congratulate. Well congratulate each other when its all finished. Reporter his president ial motorcade driving through streets that did not suffer severe damage. The white house says they did not want to disrupt rescue and recovery efforts. Outside the firehouse, the president greeted by hundreds of cheering supporters. [ chanting usa ] then a president ial pep talk. I want to thank you for coming out. Were going to get you back and operating immediately. Thank you, everybody. What a crowd, what a turnout. Reporter the catastrophe still unfolding, but the president s tone was still upbeat. This is historic. Its epic what happened, but you know what . It happened in texas, and texas can handle anything. Thank you all, folks. Thank you. Reporter finally, he pulled out the texas flag before taking off to tour the states Emergency Operations center in austin. Before his trip, the president said texas would be, quote, up and running very, very quickly. But today he acknowledged the long road ahead. The sad thing is this is longterm, and nobodys ever seen anything this long and nobodys ever seen this much water. Cecilia vega joins us live now from rockport, texas, and cecilia, the president is planning a return to visit the region later in the week . Reporter tom, he will be in texas and louisiana this weekend. Todays trip was just a short one. Most of his time spent with First Responders and state officials. It does not appear that President Trump met with any survivors of the storm, but just as they were taking off on air force one tonight, the first lady had a message for those survivors saying she sends her thoughts and her prayers, tom, and she says, the number of evacuees will rise. Cecilia vega for us tonight. Cecilia, thank you. And texas is not the only state under threat tonight. Tropical storm harvey is about to slam louisiana, but its already triggering heavy rain and evacuations and its also triggering so much more. Special fear in new orleans where Hurricane Katrina struck 12 years ago today, and fears over the pumps that are supposed to keep the city safe. Abcs gio benitez is in new orleans tonight. Reporter tonight in new orleans, residents all too familiar with flooding, are once again using sand bags on the 12th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. It brought back a lot of memories. Really evoked a lot of emotions and heartbreak. Reporter as a Flash Flood Watch extends from texas through louisiana all the way to the florida panhandle. Were asking everybody to stay alert and to stay vigilant tonight. Reporter harvey expected to make landfall near the texas Louisiana State line. Evacuations there overnight. Our Steve Osunsami with some of those families. Reporter we are at the lake charles Convention Center where they are moving families from other shelters to this one because of the rising water around those buildings. But just outside is another body of water, a lake, that theyre going to have to watch tonight. Reporter and the concern here in new orleans, problems with 14 water pumps last week. This is one of the main pumping stations here in new orleans, you can just see how the rain water drains into this canal, and then is pumped into the lake. One of the pumps, overheated earlier and now engineers are working around the clock to make sure as many pumps as possible are working. Residents tonight counting on those pumps working. Bob ruppel survived katrina, he lost everything 12 years ago. Are you worried about the pumps failing even in this storm . Oh, lord, yes. Its not something you want to hear. And gio benitez joins us live now in front of one of those pumps. Keeping new orleans safe, how confident are officials in all of those pumps tonight . Reporter well, tom, as this rain comes down here, they are feeling very confident about it. They have 120 pumps here. Most of them are working, but about a dozen of them are not, so officials are trying to get those fixed right now, tom. Gio benitez for us tonight. Gio, thank you. And as we reported, the historic flooding from Tropical Storm harvey has transformed the city. Take a look just behind me. You can see what looks like a river with the downtown skyscrapers in the background, and here is the same scene before harvey. Its really a very popular park. Eleanor tinsley, the change in landscape is staggering. And the storm is not done yet. And abcs senior meteorologist, rob marciano, joins us from katy, texas with what the Tropical Storm harvey still has in store, rob. Reporter hey, tom. The rain, thankfully, lifting now, but winds are picking up. Its about 50 miles south of port arthur, texas, and heading towards the border. It should make landfall over the pass. Look at the heavy rain falling across eastern parts of louisiana, and the heaviest it will be across southwest louisiana as it comes on shore, and passes alexandria. That moisture getting up into the mid mississippi valley. Heavy rain of course with this. We have widespread Flash Flood Watches and about 5 to 10 inches falling, and most of that east of houston, and as you know, the threat is over, but as you know, water in many areas still rising, tom. Millions still in the path. All right, rob. Thank you. And a programming note tonight, on thursday, our parent company, disney, will hold a day of giving, a fundraising effort that includes our programs and partners throughout the day on abc. From our affiliates to our broadcasts, gma, nightline and right here at world news tonight, as well as freeform, radio disney, and all of our social platforms to kick things off. Disney and our houston station have committed 1 million to the American Red Cross in support of hurricane relief. And those affected by Hurricane Harvey through the red cross will get some giving. You can text the word harvey to 90999 to make a 10 donation or visit abcnews. Com for other ways to contribute. Just before the president left for the storm zone in texas, he responded to north koreas latest missile launch, the rocket that flew over japan. Officials here jumping into action, triggering air rate sirens and text mail alerts. Tonight, President Trump is now warning all options are on the table. Heres abcs chief Global Affairs correspondent, martha raddatz. Reporter already coping with the crisis at home, President Trump is now confronting one on the world stage. What are you going to do about north korea . Well see, well see. Reporter kim jongun launching an intermediate range missile, soaring 1,600 miles, crossing above the japanese island of hokkaido, before crashing into the sea. The first time kim jongun has made such a provocative move over japanese territory. Si in japan, high alert. Sirens blaring. People receiving Text Messages telling them to seek shelter. No country should have missiles flying over them like those 130 Million People in japan. So i think something serious has to happen. Reporter in a statement President Trump saying only, all options are on the table. Martha raddatz joins us from washington, and martha, the president recently threatened to respond to new provocations from kim jongun with fire and fury. Just last week, he said he believed the north Korean Leader was starting to respect us, but it doesnt appear that way anymore. Reporter it sure doesnt, tom. That statement about respect was clearly premature. You see kim right there watching the launch. President trump has spoken with japans Prime Minister and both agreed they need to increase pressure on north korea, but it is unclear what kind of pressure, and impossible to predict what kim will do, tom. Martha raddatz for us tonight, thank you. There is still much more ahead on this special edition of world news tonight this tuesday. The popular megachurch in the storm zone. Critics asking why it took so long to let victims in of the flood. The famous pastor responding tonight. And the new images. The massive Chemical Complex now underwater. One of the largest in the country. And the husband and his pregnant wife describing to us how they lost their home to the storm. Tonight, sharing their moment of joy with everyone. You are loved not all Fish Oil Supplements provide the same omega3 power. Megared advanced triple absorption is absorbed three times better. So one softgel has more omega3 power than three standard fish oil pills. Megared advanced triple absorption. You totanobodys hurt, new car. But there will still be pain. It comes when your Insurance Company says theyll only pay threequarters of what it takes to replace it. What are you supposed to do . Drive threequarters of a car . Now if you had Liberty Mutual new car replacement™, youd get your whole car back. I guess they dont want you driving around on three wheels. Smart. With Liberty Mutual new car replacement™, well replace the full value of your car. 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Reporter the 16,000seat and former Houston Rockets basketball arena, lakewood church, tonight filling up with donations for evacuees. The move comes one day after the famous pastor faced fierce criticism he kept his doors closed while other places of worship around houston opened thiers. On sunday the church posting ont was inaccessible due to severe flooding. Ili and later sharing these photos of the facility. But locals started posting these images appearing to show the area a