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Matt Gutman reports from Kerrville, Texas, at least 70 people have died, dozens more missing in catastrophic flooding;
Mireya Villarreal reports from Texas, she’s on the ground with first responders as they search for survivors;
Faith Abubey reports from Atlanta, the remnants of tropical storm Chantal threaten to disrupt travel as millions take to the roads and the skies on the busiest travel day of the the Fourth of July holiday and more on tonight’s broadcast of World News Tonight with David Muir.
Matt Gutman reports from Kerrville, Texas, at least 70 people have died, dozens more missing in catastrophic flooding;
Mireya Villarreal reports from Texas, she’s on the ground with first responders as they search for survivors;
Faith Abubey reports from Atlanta, the remnants of tropical storm Chantal threaten to disrupt travel as millions take to the roads and the skies on the busiest travel day of the the Fourth of July holiday and more on tonight’s broadcast of World News Tonight with David Muir.
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00:00Tonight, breaking news, the desperate search for survivors following catastrophic flash floods in central Texas.
00:06The death toll soaring as dozens are still missing, and now the tropical threat as millions head home from the long holiday weekend.
00:13First, grief and uncertainty as search and rescue operations enter a third day.
00:18More than 75 people killed across Texas, including girls from a Christian summer camp.
00:24Many are still missing.
00:25The hardest hit area, known as Flash Flood Alley, officials now facing mounting questions about why the summer camps were not evacuated, despite warnings about severe weather.
00:35And tonight, the new details about the victims, the young campers, and the heroes.
00:40We're in the air with the U.S. Coast Guard searching for survivors.
00:43Pope Leo, among the millions around the world, offering prayers and condolences.
00:48Matt Gutman and Maria Villarreal in the disaster zone.
00:51Torrential rain could also hinder the journey home for millions of Americans after the July 4th weekend.
00:57Tropical storm Chantal coming ashore in the Carolinas overnight on what's expected to be the busiest day for air travel and driving.
01:04Our weather team tracking it all.
01:06President Trump issuing a new tariff warning.
01:09The White House saying he'll start sending about a dozen letters tomorrow to countries explaining the new tariff rate each could face if they don't make a deal.
01:17Billionaire Elon Musk says he's starting a new political party after slamming President Trump's massive tax cut and spending bill.
01:25Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu heading to the White House for a meeting with President Trump.
01:30This comes amid deadly airstrikes and a new push for a ceasefire with Hamas.
01:35A Domino's pizza shop erupts into flames in Utah after a three-car wreck ruptures a nearby gas line.
01:41Multiple shark sightings again forcing a holiday weekend beach closure.
01:44Ozzy Osbourne taking the stage for a final bow.
01:48Details of the rock legend's retirement concert.
01:51And America Strong tonight, the 12-year-old on a mission, soothing rescue animals with music.
01:59From ABC News World Headquarters in New York, this is World News Tonight.
02:06Good evening. Thanks for joining us on this Sunday.
02:08I'm Witt Johnson.
02:09We begin tonight with breaking news.
02:11The flash flood tragedy in central Texas.
02:13The death toll soaring amid growing uncertainty and anguish.
02:17And late today, authorities issuing new flood warnings in some of those same hard-hit areas.
02:23Across the state of Texas, the staggering numbers.
02:26More than 75 people killed, including more than two dozen children,
02:30as fast-moving floodwaters overwhelm campgrounds and communities.
02:33And so many are still missing, including girls from a Christian summer camp.
02:38But tonight, we're also seeing the emotional reunions and hearing harrowing tales of survival.
02:44This time-lapse video showing just how quickly the Llano River swelled,
02:48overwhelming the area in just 10 minutes, leaving those nearby only seconds to escape.
02:54Now the urgent search for survivors, hundreds already rescued.
02:57Our Mireya Villarreal is in the air with the U.S. Coast Guard as they aid in the rescue efforts.
03:02And tonight, President Trump saying he plans to visit the state later this week.
03:06We have team coverage.
03:08Our chief national correspondent, Matt Gutman, leads us off from Kerrville, Texas.
03:12Tonight, with the floodwaters receding, that death toll mercilessly rising.
03:17More than 75 people are reported dead and 41 confirmed missing after that early morning July 4th deluge
03:23sent a flood wave that swallowed riverside camps and communities.
03:27Up to a foot of rain raised the Guadalupe River 26 feet in less than an hour.
03:33And a wall of water and debris tearing through Camp Mystic, where 750 girls were spending July 4th.
03:40Dozens of children and counselors trapped in their bunks as the waters coursed through the camp.
03:45And tonight, 10 girls and one counselor still reported missing.
03:48And as the water filled her home, Rachel Sanchez making this desperate plea.
03:53I have my dad on hospice, and I need to get him out of here.
03:56He's bedridden.
03:57He can't walk.
03:58He can hardly move.
03:59And look where the water is.
04:02So somebody, please, we've called 911.
04:05Rachel and her family eventually making it out to safety.
04:08That is hundreds of first responders using boats, scouring stadium-sized debris fields for the stranded.
04:15Flying helicopters, too, reaching people clinging to tree canopies.
04:18Our goal is to rescue those in peril and find those who are lost.
04:24Aerial images showing the devastation.
04:26Trees toppled, bridges severely damaged.
04:29And across the area, hundreds of submerged vehicles being searched.
04:32You may be able to see that red car being pulled out of that spillway right now.
04:36You can see how much mud is inside of it.
04:38Some of the people who helped dig it out said it took hours to dig out.
04:42And they believe there is a body still inside there.
04:45Scraping through the mud, they didn't find anyone.
04:47We then followed a team of searchers into a forest smashed by the flood.
04:52This is like walking through a jungle of debris.
04:54Everywhere you look, you see signs of where people had been camping or driving.
04:59And first responders here have to pick through all of this, trying to find the telltale signs of a body.
05:08And tonight, growing questions about alerts and evacuations.
05:11The Texas Department of Emergency Management had warned of continued heavy rainfall and flash flooding threats two days before the disaster.
05:21And tonight, in traumatized Kerrville, new alerts.
05:25To most people in the area, flash flooding would mean one thing, not what it turned out to be.
05:30Today, President Trump approving a major disaster declaration for the area.
05:35FEMA now on the ground to assist.
05:37Among the victims who lost their lives, Dr. Catherine Eads was camping in an RV with her husband.
05:43The pair separated in the floodwaters.
05:44Catherine's family saying her life was cut far too short.
05:47She was an incredible wife, daughter, mother, grandmother, and person who spent her life helping kids.
05:54Heart of the Hills Camp remembering their director, Jane Ragsdale, for her strong, joyful spirit.
05:59And 27-year-old Julian Ryan, who leaves behind two young sons.
06:04His family saying he tried to break through a window as the waters rose inside their trailer, suffering a severe cut to his arm.
06:10His last words to his fiancée were,
06:12I love you, I'm so sorry.
06:14His sister saying he didn't die in vain, he died a hero.
06:18It's just devastating.
06:19But wait, I want to give you a sense of the power of those floodwaters.
06:23What you're seeing behind me is a 53-foot wide, 30-foot tall stage that belonged to part of a July 4th festival.
06:30It was swept downriver like a bath toy.
06:32Now it's wrapped against those trees.
06:35And you can see it's drizzling right now.
06:37We've been receiving emergency alerts on our phones.
06:39And at this point, officials are saying that any amount of rainfall is potentially life-threatening
06:43because the ground here is so very saturated.
06:47That devastation, just unimaginable.
06:49Matt Guttman, thank you.
06:50And tonight, we're also hearing those incredible stories of survival.
06:54Hundreds of people have been rescued so far, some desperately clinging to trees and rooftops
06:59to stay safe from the rapidly rising floodwaters.
07:02And as we noted earlier, our Mireya Villareal is with the U.S. Coast Guard tonight.
07:09Tonight, we're in the air with the U.S. Coast Guard as they aid in the rescue efforts in central Texas.
07:15Right now, we're hovering over the water.
07:17We're about 40 miles down from where those camps were predominantly affected.
07:23This is where a lot of activity has built up in this area.
07:27The surge made even more difficult by the dense forest below.
07:32Talk about the importance of the technology on this particular plane that maybe differs
07:36from what we're seeing out there.
07:37We got a FLIR camera on the front of the aircraft.
07:40You can see back there, it's that little black ball turd up there.
07:42But it is a very good camera that we have.
07:44And it's also an infrared camera.
07:46So we can find heat signatures.
07:49More than 400 first responders from 20 different agencies helping rescue nearly 1,000 people since Friday.
07:56Juliette Weldon and her husband were two of them, swept away by the floodwaters.
08:02We came out and it was already raging.
08:04They held on to branches as they called 911 for help.
08:08What's been the hardest for you?
08:10You're calling for help and there's nobody.
08:14Where are they?
08:15Crews eventually reached Juliette and her husband, pulling them to safety.
08:19But she says they didn't get adequate warning about the potential threat.
08:23They didn't say, seriously, you better be careful.
08:27This is like we have this many, however, inches of rain coming here and you will all be washed away.
08:33Officials continue to say this kind of catastrophic event is something no one could have predicted.
08:40The moment in time when they knew the magnitude of the water,
08:43it's a difficult decision whether or not to begin evacuating people or not.
08:48Because if you have a warning telling everybody to evacuate, you could actually lead them to their death.
08:55It is raining now once again in this area.
08:59And weather conditions can determine whether or not a plane, a helicopter can be in the air safely.
09:05But regardless, this crew that we are with today, they are committed to the mission of finding those missing people.
09:11No matter how long it takes, it is a sentiment that has been shared by local and state authorities days, weeks or even longer.
09:20Yes, a massive operation.
09:21Maria, thank you.
09:22Let's get right to meteorologist Danny Beckstrom from our New York station, WABC.
09:26And Danny, again, you're tracking multiple threats from Texas to the southeast.
09:30Let's start in Texas with, it's the last thing we want to hear, another round of drenching downpours in central Texas.
09:37The ground already saturated, meaning it's that much easier to trigger flash flooding.
09:41Case in point, active flash flood warnings for parts of Kerr County tonight, which does include Camp Mystic's grounds,
09:47as well as flash flooding in parts of Burnett, Travis and Williamson counties, which were the area's hit hard Saturday.
09:52Thankfully, these storms will be shorter lived, losing intensity after sunset.
09:56Rain chances diminish tonight, with isolated storms expected Monday, but luckily a long stretch of dry weather expected for the majority of the work week.
10:03Turning to what's left of Chantal tonight, locally heavy rain possible in North Carolina and Virginia,
10:08into early Monday morning, with isolated flash flooding possible.
10:11From here, the remnants head up the I-95 corridor, with tropical moisture fueling scattered storms Monday afternoon and evening.
10:17While the storm itself is moving on, rip current risk does persist for the mid-Atlantic coast, Whit.
10:22All right, Danny, thank you.
10:23We appreciate it, and stay with ABC News for our continuing coverage of the disaster in Texas,
10:28streaming on ABC News Live and tomorrow on GMA, of course, back here on World News Tonight.
10:34We're also following that other severe weather threat in the southeast.
10:37Tropical storm Chantal making landfall overnight.
10:40It lashed Myrtle Beach and other parts of the Carolinas with rain and gusty winds.
10:45And it comes as millions of Americans are packing airports and highways, heading home after the long holiday weekend.
10:51ABC's Faith Abube reports from Atlanta.
10:54Tonight, millions heading back home from a record holiday travel crush as remnants of tropical storm Chantal drench parts of the east coast.
11:03Dangerous flat flood watches putting hundreds of thousands on alert.
11:07The storm roaring ashore in the overnight hours.
11:10Chantal packing sustained winds of 50 miles an hour around 4 a.m., making landfall in Litchfield Beach, South Carolina.
11:18The greatest threat from tropical storm Chantal now moving inland.
11:22Now we are dealing with those lingering impacts, life-threatening rip currents and rough surf, making for some dangerous conditions on the water.
11:32But the post-holiday travel rush remains largely unaffected, even as millions hit the road and pack airports.
11:38To the right.
11:39Including spirit.
11:40All gates, all flights.
11:41Yes, sir.
11:42Nearly 3 million air travelers expected to pass through security checkpoints.
11:47How are you feeling traveling at the end of the holidays?
11:50It's overwhelming just because we know this is a really busy airport.
11:55Meanwhile, a majority of travelers crowding major highways, more than 61 million, expected to hit the roads this holiday, up more than 2% from last year.
12:06And way back here at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson, the world's busiest airport, more good news for air passengers, no significant disruptions here.
12:15And nationwide, only a handful of cancellations so far.
12:18Witt.
12:19That is some good news.
12:20We'll take it, Faith.
12:21Next tonight, President Trump's new tariff warning.
12:24What he just said about sending dozens of letters tomorrow to countries facing new tariffs if they don't make a deal.
12:30Here's ABC's senior White House correspondent, Selina Way.
12:34Tonight, America's trading partners on edge, bracing for more tariff whiplash.
12:39Trump's 90-day pause on those sweeping tariffs set to expire this week.
12:44But tonight, the White House now signaling another deadline.
12:47President Trump's going to be sending letters to some of our trading partners saying that if you don't move things along, then on August 1st, you will boomerang back to your April 2nd tariff level.
13:01But the president's saying tonight that most countries will still have a deal by the deadline.
13:05I think we'll have most countries done by July 9th.
13:09Yet his commerce secretary saying the timeline has been pushed back.
13:12But they go into effect on August 1st.
13:15Tariffs go into effect on August 1st, but the president is setting the rates and the deals right now.
13:21But trade deals typically take years to negotiate.
13:25Trump's shift in strategy, a sign of how complicated that process really is.
13:30I think the letters are better.
13:32I think a simple tariff is simpler and better than sitting down and working 15 different things.
13:38The White House insisting deals are close, but so far only partial or framework agreements have been announced with Vietnam, China and the U.K.
13:47Meanwhile, businesses are left in limbo, unsure how much they'll have to pay for imported goods.
13:52And even as Wall Street hits record highs, consumer confidence dropped in June and retail sales fell sharply in May as tariff anxiety mounts.
14:02This summer, retailers pulling out all the stops.
14:05For the first time, Amazon is expanding Prime Day from two to four days, with Walmart and Target running competing sales.
14:12And with there's still a lot of confusion ahead of those letters going out, the Trump administration says that only some countries will receive them and they'll have until August 1st to make a deal.
14:23For the rest, it's unclear if that original July 9th deadline still stands.
14:28With Selena Wang at the White House.
14:30Now to billionaire Elon Musk saying he's forming a new political party.
14:34This after a public spat with President Trump over his massive tax cut and spending bill.
14:39Let's bring in ABC's Perry Russom in Washington tonight.
14:42And Perry, what are you learning about this new party?
14:45Yeah, well, Elon Musk breaking even more from President Trump saying he will create the America Party.
14:50Musk making the announcement after President Trump signed his mega bill into law.
14:54Elon has been highly critical of the spending bill, threatening to campaign against Republicans who voted for it.
14:59His relationship with Trump has soured ever since he left the administration.
15:02On July 4th, he created a poll on X asking users if they wanted independence from the two-party system.
15:08It appears no paperwork has been filed to create the party just yet.
15:12But Musk says the America Party will focus on the midterms next year, targeting two to three Senate seats and eight to ten House seats.
15:19Late today, President Trump responding, calling the idea ridiculous, saying it adds to confusion.
15:24Whit?
15:24We'll stand by for new details.
15:25Perry Russom, thank you.
15:27Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is heading to the White House for a meeting with President Trump.
15:32This comes amid a new push for a ceasefire agreement with Hamas.
15:35Let's bring in ABC's chief international correspondent, James Longman, in Tel Aviv tonight.
15:40And, James, where do those negotiations stand now?
15:43Well, Whit, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on his way to the U.S. tonight for his first face-to-face meeting with President Trump since those U.S. strikes on Iran.
15:51And there is hope tonight of a Gaza ceasefire being announced in the coming days.
15:56It would pause the fighting in Gaza for 60 days and bring the release of at least ten of the living hostages.
16:02President Trump has said he wants a deal soon, and indirect talks between Israel and Hamas are now back on in Doha.
16:10After months, Benjamin Netanyahu has said he wants a deal, and Hamas has also responded positively.
16:15But there are some issues remaining.
16:17Hamas wants the IDF to fully pull out of Gaza, and they're looking for U.S. guarantees that this ceasefire will lead to a complete end of the war.
16:25They also want the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation to cease its operations.
16:29It is a U.S.-backed initiative, but it has been accused of some major violations.
16:33And a ceasefire, of course, cannot come soon enough for the people of Gaza.
16:37Hamas says a surge of airstrikes in just the last 24 hours has left more than 80 people dead and more than 300 injured.
16:44Whit?
16:44James Longman for us tonight. Thank you.
16:47There is still much more ahead on World News Tonight this Sunday.
16:49A second shark sighting in New York during the holiday weekend raising concerns.
16:54And find out how two people escaped this fiery crash near Salt Lake City.
17:00Next tonight, a fiery crash at a Utah strip mall.
17:03Flames poured from an SUV that slammed into a Domino's pizza shop near Salt Lake City last night.
17:09Police saying the vehicle, part of a three-car crash.
17:12Fire officials saying bystanders pulled two people from the burning SUV.
17:17At least three people taken to the hospital.
17:19The Domino's was destroyed.
17:20When we come back, rock legend Ozzy Osbourne takes his final bow.
17:28To the index now, a big send-off for the man who called himself the Prince of Darkness.
17:33When he travel time for the future.
17:4140,000 fans packing a British soccer stadium for Ozzy Osbourne, the 76-year-old Black Sabbath lead singer,
17:47in his final concert, tribute Saturday from rockers Metallica and Aerosmith Stephen Tyler,
17:54as well as Dolly Parton and Sir Elton John.
17:56Osbourne at the end thanking fans for decades of support.
18:00Well, a second straight day with a shark sighting at a popular New York beach.
18:04Police drones spotting that shark and closing part of Rockaway Beach in Queens again yesterday.
18:10City officials saying it was within 100 feet of swimmers.
18:13Friday, two sharks in that very same area.
18:16New York's governor saying shark patrols are now ramped up.
18:19Still ahead, a 12-year-old on a mission, calming nerves with wild tunes.
18:23America's strong tonight, harnessing the healing power of music for shelter animals.
18:3312-year-old Yuvi Agarwal loves music.
18:37Playing the piano since he was four.
18:40He also loves animals.
18:42And after noticing how his music helped calm his restless golden doodle bozo, he had an idea.
18:48Could pets in shelters benefit too?
18:50So a couple of years ago, he created a non-profit organization called Wild Tunes with help from his parents.
18:57You get volunteers to come and play an instrument or sing for them, and it helps calm them down.
19:03So far, he's recruited about 100 volunteer musicians and singers to perform at nine shelters in Houston, New Jersey and Denver.
19:12Volunteer Sarah McDonner plays the flute.
19:14So I think it's very important to give them something different than what they're used to in their little tiny cages and make them more adoptable.
19:21Watch how listening to live music affected these animals at Fort Bend Animal Shelter.
19:27After just a few minutes of playing, they went from excited to more relaxed.
19:33Witnessing firsthand the power of music to comfort, Yuvi now hopes to take Wild Tunes nationwide.
19:41And we're cheering you on.
19:43Thanks so much for watching tonight.
19:44Have a great night.
19:46Thank you for making World News Tonight with David Muir, America's most watched newscast.
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