also tonight, after president trump told millions that the government is fully prepared for this hurricane, the president tweeting today, questioning how many really died in puerto rico, saying 3,000 people didn't die after hurricanes hit puerto rico, and the president now says that number was raised to make him look bad. we are also following several other breaking headlines tonight. more than a dozen explosions outside boston in several different communities. authorities are urging some residents to get out. and paul manafort, tonight news of a key meeting. is manafort about to plead guilty? is he striking a deal with robert mueller? and good evening from wilmington tonight. and as we come on the air in the west, millions along the coast here and inland are bracing now for this monster hurricane. the cape fear river right behind me here. we witnessed some of the very outer bands of the hurricane. the winds, the rain of course
here already. and there's a good chance that the eye of this hurricane could make landfall right here or just north of here. the track just out from the national hurricane center tonight. the storm is slowing down, which means it will sit here and pound the coast, dangerous one winds and several feet of rain. it is also growing in size. that flag whipping in the wind and in tatters by the end of the day. this hurricane is 500 miles wide, ocean water breaching the dunes already and rushing into the streets. these images from cape hatteras tonight. heavy rain falling, some 90,000 already without power as we're on the air here in the west. a nuclear power plant here in the path of this hurricane shutting down already. and the hurricane hasn't even made landfall yet. 1.7 million under evacuation orders tonight. i found shelters today full, folks telling me they were sent elsewhere. at this hour, hurricane florence is massive. tropical storm-force winds will stretch well more than 100 miles from the eye of the storm in each direction. that's across more than 300 miles. we do have the new track tonight, the expected landfall, the time and where.
flooding, david. >> all right, gio, get back up shore here. tonight, a nuclear plant right here in the path of the hurricane in north carolina has shut down. tonight, the destruction is already begun on the barrier islands and the police chief here telling me his biggest fear, as this hurricane sets to make landfall in the coming hours. tonight, this is what millions of americans along this coastline have feared. the outer bands of florence slamming ashore already. and the eye of the storm still hours away. along north carolina's barrier islands, in north topsail beach, dangerous winds already. waves crashing through this home, knocking down walls. water surrounding homes. this garage door smashed. and again, this hurricane doesn't make landfall until the morning hours. in avon tonight, strong waves hammering this pier. water rushing ashore. breaking through the dunes in hatteras. in nearby frisco, ocean water flowing like a river down cape
are going to floor like we haven't seen in a very long time. >> reporter: there is already help coming in from all over the country. search and rescue teams from sacramento. 80 first responders from rockville, maryland. >> thank you, guys. >> thank you, sir. >> reporter: and tonight, north carolina's governor roy cooper with some of those first responders and a final warning. >> my message today -- don't relax. don't get complacent. stay on guard. this is a powerful storm that can kill. today, the threat becomes a reality. >> reporter: authorities are telling residents here to prepare for days without power. perhaps weeks. they also fear the hurricane could flood some 16 nuclear reactors across three states. the brunswick nuclear plant announcing tonight it will shut down, saying they are, quote, currently in the path of hurricane florence and they anticipate the plant site will experience sustained hurricane-force winds.
with tropical storm-force winds now expected to reach more than 300 miles across, many families have now decided on this final night before landfall to get out. >> be safe, guys. >> you, too, be careful. >> see you in a few days. >> reporter: the forecast is calling for destructive winds pounding the coast for at least 36 hours. and several feet of rain. >> it's really somewhat of a gloomy feeling knowing that the coast of north carolina is going to be changed forever. >> reporter: on the streets here, a "pray for wilmington" sign and instructions for shelters right beside it. late today, governor cooper saying some 12,000 people are already in shelters, they're now opening even more. many are already at capacity. you can see here on the door, says the shelter is full. this is the codington elementary school, and we were told some of the folks who are here were actually brought from another shelter that was overflowing because of so many people that want to make sure they're safe during this storm. ricardo romero is one of them. so, that shelter was already full -- >> yes. >> reporter: and overflowing, so they brought you here? >> that is correct. >> those shelters stretching to
keep up with demand tonight. everyone bracing as this hurricane grows much closer, just off the coast tonight. abc meteorologist ginger zee here with the newest track. you've got landfall time, an aprax make, of course, and where, which is important. we've been talking, so is the sheer amount of time this hurricane is going to stall right here over just a huge area, several states. >> reporter: yes, several states, several miles and millions of people that will feel this for the next 36 to 48 hours, david. it is like a washing machine. so, this storm now east-southeast of us here in wilmington by 85 miles. it was the same last hour. that means this thing hasn't moved. it is supposed to move the northwest at 5 miles per hour with that tornado watch in place. we've seen tornado warnings already popping. that is one of the threats yet tonight. as that path takes it on land tomorrow morning, so, it should make landfall sometime here on our friday, move inland and then become more of a tropical storm as it passes the state line into south carolina. no matter the case, it will drop
patients, seniors here in the community. and there is an urgent effort tonight to get them help and to check on them. abc's chief national affairs correspondent in myrtle beach, south carolina, on that part of the story. >> reporter: tonight, with florence's winds, rain and angry surf bearing down, most have fled, headed for safer ground. we rode along with myrtle beach police. corporal thomas vest tells me what worries him about the storm. >> it looks like a lot of people are still trying to decide if they're going to stay or go. >> reporter: more than 420,000 people have evacuated the south carolina coast, including more than 2,200 people from 113 health care facilities. tonight, further north, at the davis community nursing home and assisted living facility in wilmington, north carolina, some 600 residents, staff and their families are sheltering in place. >> those people who are critical care, it would be difficult for us to move them hours away. >> reporter: medical professionals across both states do not want a repeat of scenes
like these in texas during hurricane harvey. and in florida, nearly 150 evacuated from this sweltering nursing home that lost power during hurricane irma. 12 of its residents lost their lives. david, there's a curfew right now from 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. the police have allowed us to be out here, but this is eeri. this is ocean boulevard, and take a look at this david, tonight, it's a ghost town. david? >> reporter: well, tom, really great that you checked on the seniors today. we certainly don't want a repeat of what we saw in texas and florida. tom will be with us straight through this hurricane. president trump sending out tweets today, reassuring that the government is, quote, completely ready for hurricane florence. but he sparked a firestorm with another tweet, denying that thousands of american citizens died in puerto rico from hurricane maria and its aftermath, claiming the number was fabricated to make him look bad. here's our chief white house correspondent jonathan karl tonight.
>> reporter: even before hurricane florence hits shore, president trump is already congratulating his team on a job well-done. >> we are getting tremendous accolades from politicians and the people. >> reporter: but even as the hurricane approaches, the president today is making a startling new claim, downplaying the human suffering caused by last year's hurricane maria in puerto rico. "3,000 people did not die in the two hurricanes that hit puerto rico," he tweeted. he then falsely accused democrats of inflating the death toll -- "in order to make me look as bad as possible." a comprehensive study from george washington university concluded nearly 3,000 people died by causes directly related to the hurricane and its aftermath -- a figure accepted by the government as the official death toll. that's nearly 3,000 american citizens, most of them poor and elderly. our team saw the suffering first-hand. maria ortiz caring for 11 seniors in a nursing home without power. >> we can't let them die. we can't let them die.
and we need help. all the help we can get, please. >> reporter: when president trump visited the island, he tossed paper towels to storm victims. but just 15 minutes away, in this apartment building without power or clean water, david spoke with 70-year-old maria diaz. "we don't want to die here," she told him. the governor of puerto rico today is taking issue with the president's tweets. "the people of puerto rico," he said, "do not deserve to have their pain questioned." and among political leaders, the president seems to be alone in questioning the death toll. >> i have no reason to dispute these numbers. >> with 3,000 people dead, for the president to say puerto rico was a success, a triumph of his presidency, is simply delusional. >> reporter: the white house released a photo this evening of the president getting briefed on hurricane preparation efforts. and despite the controversy
stirred up by his comments of hurricane maria, white house officials insist he is very much focused on hurricane florence and they expect he will travel to the areas affected by the hurricane as soon as is practical. david? >> jon karl, thank you. there's still much more ahead on "world news tonight" this thursday. breaking news tonight. dozens of explosions outside boston, in several different communities. you can see the homes in flames there. authorities urging some residents to get out. we'll have the latest in a moment. the deadly rampage in the west the gunman opening fire, shooting five victims in multiple locations. what authorities have now revealed. and elizabeth smart back in the news tonight and speaking out. her urgent plea tonight, just days before one of her kidnappers is about to go free. authorities say they miscalculated the time served. miscalculated the time served. we'll be right back. loors with d bucket is a hassle, meaning you probably don't clean as often as you'd for a quick and convenient clean, try swiffer wetjet. there's no heavy bucket, or mop to wring out, because the absorb and lock technology
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david wright. >> reporter: north of boston tonight, more than 50 fires and explosions so far, apparently caused by a gas main explosion. in lawrence, fire crews are responding to more than two dozen fires across the city. in north anover and andover, officials are urging all residents to evacuate. the area roads gridlocked. according to the state fire marshal, a surge in the gas main started all this. >> i was in shock. i started running down the street and then my neighbor came out and was like, don't go down there. >> reporter: the columbia gas company says it was doing work on the lines when the explosions occurred. the local power company now says it has cut off power to the entire area as a precaution. david? >> david wright tonight. david, thank you. when we come back, the deadly rampage in the west. several victims, several locations. and elizabeth smart speaking out tonight. her warning to authorities just days before one of her kidnappers is set to go free. re, burning, pins and needles of diabetic nerve pain these feet...
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involving president trump's former campaign chairman paul manafort. tonight, sources telling abc news that manafort has tentatively agreed to a plea deal in order to avoid a second trial. he met today for more than four hours with special counsel robert mueller's team. sources say mueller wants information on president trump and the 2016 campaign. it's unclear tonight whether manafort has agreed to provide that information as part of his plea deal. elizabeth smart is speaking out tonight. she is angry one of her kidnappers will be released next week, several years earlier than expected. authorities in utah say they miscalculated the time wanda barzee served in federal custody. smart urging them to reconsider their decision. >> i believe that she is a danger and a threat to any vulnerable person in our community, which is why our community should be worried. >> barzee and her husband kidnapped smart in 2002, holding her captive for nine months. and that deadly killing spree in bakersfield, california. police say javier casarez killed five people, starting with his wife and a man at a trucking company.
he shot a witness, went to a home and killed two more people, carjacking a mother and child who escaped. he killed himself when confronted by a deputy. authorities say the gunman and his wife were getting divorced. when we come back, the main story of the night, hurricane florence where it is right now, where it's expected to make landfall first thing in the morning, and what ginger is now seeing tonight in the rain fo foreca forecast. george woke up in pain. but he has plans today. hey dad. so he took aleve. if he'd taken tylenol, he'd be stopping for more pills right now. only aleve has the strength to stop tough pain for up to 12 hours with just one pill. aleve. all day strong. (tiffany) with counseling nicotine patch and gum, i quit for good. my tip is: get help to find the best way for you to quit smoking. (announcer) you can quit. call 1-800-quit-now for help getting free medication.
if you had a severe allergic reaction after a previous dose. most common side effects are pain, redness or hardness at the injection site; muscle pain; fatigue; headache; nausea; and joint pain. bexsero may not protect all individuals. tell your healthcare professional if you're pregnant or if you have received any other meningitis b vaccines. ask your healthcare professional about the risks and benefits of bexsero and if vaccination with bexsero is right for your teen. moms, we can't wait. ♪ so, let's get right back to the latest guidance tonight. hurricane florence expected to make landfall right here first thing in the morning. ginger, we'll be right here along with the whole team. >> reporter: we will. and we are going to see rain
from now until the foreseeable feature, really through saturday. and that's one of the big issues. the forecast, david, calls for more than 30 inches of rain in places, and mk income's highest rain total when it comes to a tropical system prior to this was floyd in 1999. i think we'll break that. >> wow, and to see that on the screen there, up to 40 inches of rain in some places. we'll be tracking it all for you. thank you for watching in the west. our coverage of hurricane florence continues first thing in the morning. i'll see you then. good night. tonight, combatting car
break-ins with the mighty pen in the bay area. a major move by bay area catholic diocese to expose those within its own ranks. plus -- >> criminal, fool. >> after blasting the president tonight, governor brown is about to board a ferry and head out on to the bay but not telling anyone why. a customer applies for a payment plan. the finance company says he doesn't exist. i'm michael finney. 7 on your side is coming up. >> live where you live. this is "abc7 news." another sign tonight of just how bad a problem car break-ins are, residents resorting to notes to try to keep thieves from breaking in. good evening. >> let's get right to melanie woodrow with a story you'll only see here. melanie? >> the idea for this story came from social media when a friend of mine posted a picture of a
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