canada. it's little more than a post tropical cyclone but has bruised the eastern united states with property damage, flooding, and power outages. at least 20 deaths have been linked to the storm. more than four million customers still don't have electricity. businesses have a lot of clean willi ing up to do. the governor of virginia expects more reports of damage and death today. a state police official in flooded out vermont is afraid of what his crews might discover. the flooding's really bad in vermont this morning. now that the storm has moved out, business owners in new jersey have serious cleaning up to do. irene's rain forced a river out of its banks and into downtown mi millburn. business owners are mopping up floors and basements that are full of water. we have more from mill burn. what's it look like, chris? >> reporter: good morning, carol. you know, things look a lot better here on the streets of millburn. they don't sound quite right. [ alarm ] >> reporter: the alarm system is from a restaurant across the system where their basement yesterday was completely overtaken by a tributary or branch of the river. where we are in millburn, it's interesting. the river runs underneath the businesses, at least a branch of it did, and to a nearby park and on down. the river blew up its banks yesterday as the area was hit by nearly ten inches of rain in a very short amount of time. this comes on a record-breaking month of rain here and across the tri-state area. most areas in new york city and into new jersey received about 20 inches of rain in august. this ground was already super saturated. the rain having nowhere to go. and of course this area was on that north and western side of the center of circulation of irene which is the rain side of things. there are nearly 4,000 folks here without power. 40,000 of them without any drinking water. those that do have drinking water, they're not going to be able to drink it. now some of the restaurants were open last night and are expected to be open this morning, serving bottled water at best. carol? >> well, i guess it could have been worse. so we'll just center on that thought for this morning since it is monday. and we did dodge a major bullet. thank you, we'll get back to you later. let's go to rob marciano. he rode out irene. you saw it firsthand. you know what a lot of people are wonder, frankly, i mean mayor bloomberg in new york and also governor chris christie, they put the fear of god into people. people were really afraid. they got out of dodge. and then once the storm made its way up the north coast, it sort of petered out and people were left wondering why did that happen. were we given wrong information? >> well, i think for one thing, the public officials have underestimated storms of late. they wanted to be prepared if not overprepared. they said, you know, let's prepare for the worst and hope for the best. the other thing is that people, you know, of society, psychologically, they're afraid of the unknown. and nobody here across the northeast -- not nobody, but it's been over two decade since any hurricane has made landfall across long island or new york or the northeast. that in and of itself is fearful. that said, the storm itself probably came in about a category below what the official forecast was. but the track was right on. it came special the carolinas as a category 1. we thought we'd get a 2 or 3. that's one thing we struggle with as far as hurricane forecasting goes. we're really good at the track, especially two and three days out. the track was absolutely spot on. but intensity is always a struggle. when you have something scraping up the coastline interacting with land, it can be a tough call. but all along and some of the video that you saw there and these numbers represent it, we said that irene was going to be known for inland flooding. with all the moisture and rain with it that the northeast has seen the past couple of weeks, that was going to be really what it's known for. that's what we're seeing this morning. those are some of the rainfall totals observed. from five to over nine inches. these are the radar estimates which indicate basically we can tell where we don't have official recording stations. this tells five to ten inches in spots. probably isolated numbers across the northeast. vermont obviously one of the most hard-hit areas there. we'll get reports from gary tuckman. some of the towns completely wiped out from this. more flooding on the way. a lot of rivers will crest today, tomorrow, or wednesday. so the threat for that is not over. and of course the struggle for those who are stranded because the airports are closed and reopening this morning, that's going to be certainly a pain to say the least today and tomorrow. carol? >> i'm sure it will be a -- really a lot of fun. it's a good chance to meet new friends. >> there you go. >> rob, thank you very much. rob mentioned vermont. irene has left vermont in terrible shape in morning. >> there it goes! >> you can see why vermont is in trouble. the state did not order any early evacuations. many people were caught offguard from the rain from irene. up to six inches across the state. the rivers and creek could not handle all the water. many small towns are submerged. a police official is afraid his crews might find "bad things today. "one woman was swept away in a river. she is feared dead. nearly two dozen people including two pregnant women and ten children are trapped in new york's catskill mountains. ironically,y that'd gone upstate from brooklyn to escape. the governor expects them to be rescued today. irene's force knocked out bridges and power and left no way to get down the mountain. one of those people called in to cnn. >> the sheriff's department just called in about a few minutes before i spoke to you. and they said we're trying to do the best we can to get to you. there's other people in the way, and the bridges are collapsing. they can't get to us because it's so far away from us since everything got damaged and the river's still pressing a lot of water from the mountains. >> county officials say the volume of water coming off the catskill mountaintops is more than the flow of niagara falls. 87 people were rescued in the town of prattsville just yesterday. covering hurricanes can be risky business for reporters. watch irene attack a correspondent from new york's w cbs tv. >> let's get out of here! let's get out of here! grab the mic. >> i'd hate to see what she would do in a category 2 storm. ouch, not sure if the microphone survived the dunking in new jersey. the reporter is fine. don't worry about her. did you catch the video music awards on mtv? they were full of surprises including lady gaga who was not quite herself. check it out. >> lady gaga. she left me! >> all right already. >> oh, my god! [ applause ] ♪ [ applause ] >> nice moves, future mca! ♪ [ cheers and applause ] >> thought you needed a little break from all the weather coverage. that was pretty fun, wasn't it? imagine this -- you're on an island when a hurricane hits. roads are smashed, the power's out. you're completely trapped. we've got the story you have to hear in 90 seconds. it's eight minutes past the hour. if something is simply the color of gold, is it really worth more? we don't think so. chase sapphire preferred is a card of a different color. unlike others, you get twice the points on travel, and twice the points on dining, and no foreign transaction fees. call now or apply at chasesapphire.com/preferred. build an app for the sales team. and see my family while they're still awake. 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[ wind blowing ] >> wow. the fire station got flooded. look at that. >> you can see this is normally a road, but it has turned into a huge lake. it's about a few block long, and about three to four feet deep. way too deep for your car. >> good job to those folks. imagine getting hit so hard by a hurricane, you're trapped. roads are closed, power lines are down. the only way out from where you are is a helicopter. our brian todd took the flight from kingston, north carolina. here's what he saw. >> reporter: carol, we got exclusive access to hatteras island, north carolina. the only way in is by chopper at this point. and we got there by embedding with the north carolina national guard. we took two oh58 reconnaissance and observation helicopters in. the place is cut off because a key highway, highway 12 which connects hatteras with the northern outer banks barrier islands which connects them to the mainland through bridges, that highway 12 completely overwashed by storm surge from hurricane irene. it's not just overwashed, it looks like an earthquake hit it. the road is chopped up. it's just -- you know, parts of it caved in. there are downed power lines in the key section. and the ocean is now overrunning it. that section of highway 12 may not be back up and running for quite some time. and now, some 2,500 people there are stranded because that was their only way out by road. the boats were not going in and out during the hurricane. they may not be going in and out until monday. maybe at the earliest with a ferry service. that's going to be slow going. goods and services slow arriving by ferry. 2,500 people stranded because they ignored the mandatory evacuation orders from governor perdue. they will be getting goods and services via ferry, at least temporarily. carol? >> brian todd reporting. millions of people along the east coast are dealing with the aftermath of this storm. they're in full disaster recovery mode. you might be surprised to hear what one presidential hopeful is saying about fema. i'll tell you about it next. before you go, i've got to tell you it's 13 past the hour. today is the national day of more herbs, less salt. yes, happy more herbs, less salt day. any questions? no. you know... ♪ we're not magicians ♪ we can't read your mind ♪ ♪ read your mind ♪ we need your questions ♪ each and every kind ♪ every kind ♪ will this react with my other medicine? ♪ ♪ hey, what are all these tests even for? ♪ ♪ questions are the answer ♪ yeah ♪ oh good morning. word from the white house -- do not take irene lightly even today. >> many americans are still at serious risk of power outages and flooding which could get worse in the coming days as rivers swell past their banks. so i want people to understand that this is not over. >> you saw there at the president's side homeland security secretary napolitano and fema director fugat dfugate. one presidential candidate has less than flattering words about fema. that brings us to tim farley host of "serious briefing." this comes from ron paul. the libertarian. he's not a fan of fema. in fact, he says we should get rid of it. >> yeah. ron paul has got a history of -- anyone who's familiar with his record understands that he wants a smaller federal government, to your point, carol, libertarian. he's made the point over and over again that there should be no federal agency that oversees what is taking place. there are questions, by the way, about fema's funding. ed o keefe has been writing about it in the "the washington times" given that we've had so many disasters to deal with. congress is going to have to come up with a funding mechanism. ron paul, never a lover of anything on the federal level that he thinks usurps the authority of what takes place on a state level. >> the thing is, the republican governor christie even praised fema saying they were right there when new jersey needed fema. i'm not sure many people are aware of fema's exact role. but fema goes in -- say your state is undergoing this major disaster, you're busy with other things. fema fills in the blanks, helps you set up organizational structures. figures out whether you need financial assistance from the federal government. those are the things that fema does. so i'm just wondering, ron paul want to do away with those things. he thinks those things are unnecessary? >> well, not to argue policy or anything for ron paul. but ron paul believes a lot of things in the federal government don't belong there. and whether that argument rings soundly with the voters is one that remains to be seen. of course, there are a lot more issues that are out there on the campaign trail. given the somewhat minimal, relatively minimal effect this storm compared to katrina which, by the way, was six years ago today, i think that probably the argument over fema's place in the federal government will -- sort of go back and recede compared to things like the economy and issues like that in the next presidential race. >> oh, you're a wise man, tim farley. let's talk about michele bachmann. what she said -- i have to admit, it made me laugh. this is what she said in florida. presidential candidate michele bachmann. listen. >> washington, d.c., you'd think by now they'd get the message. an earthquake. a hurricane. [ laughter ] >> are you listening? the american people have done everything they possibly can. now it's time for an act of god, and we're getting it! >> i know she was joking, but she's even using acts of god to push forward her presidential campaign. >> well, you know, i guess when you're talking to your supporters and they're laughing and you're joking, it comes across that way. i think, frankly, this is the kind of message that you see it in print doesn't have nearly the effect it does when you see it delivered with a smile in front of us, a laughing audience. whether or not this is used against her i'm not sure. i just thought it was actually a moment of humor that maybe -- certainly her fans like and those who don't like michele bachmann will try to figure out a way to use again her. >> i know. i thought it was funny, too. tim farley, thanks, as always. host of "morning briefing" on sirius podus. the lockerbie bomber is frail and in bed. he may be one of the last people alive who knows who ordered the bombing of pan am flight 103. before we go, this is the quote today -- "mr. cheney has had a long and distinguished career, and i hope in his book that's what he will focus on, not these cheap shots." we'll tell you who said that. [ female announcer ] what if your natural beauty could be flawless too? discover aveeno positively radiant tinted moisturizers with scientifically proven soy complex and natural minerals. give you sheer coverage instantly, then go on to even skin tone in four weeks. aveeno tinted moisturizers. 22 minutes past the hour. this is your a.m. wake-up call. back to the quote of the morning. that was from former secretary of state colin powell accusing former vice president dick cheney of taking cheap shots. here's what he had to see on "face the nation." >> mr. cheney has had a long and distinguished career, and i hope in his book that's what he will focus on, not these cheap shots that he's taking at me and other members of the administration who served to the best of our ability for president bush. >> cheney undermined -- cheney accused colin powell, rather, of undermining president bush's presidency. that's what mr. powell is angry about. cheney's been promoting his new biography saying it's full of information that will make readers' heads explodes. powell says that's the kind of headline you might get from a supermarket tabloid. the lockerbie bomber. the man convicted for masterminding the 1988 bombing that killed 270 people, has been tracked down in tripoli by nick robertson. this may be the abdelbaset ali al megrahi you remember arriving to a hero's welcome in libya after being released from a scottish jail on compassion carrot grounds. he was supposed -- compassionate grounds. he was supposed to die within days, but that was two years ago. here's what senior international correspondent nick robertson found in a cnn exclusive. >> reporter: i'm not sure if they've heard. let's try the last-ditch means which is just shout over the wall. hello? hello, hello? then all of a sudden, someone comes. nothing prepares me for what i see. al megrahi apparently in a coma, his aging mother at his side. he has oxygen -- s>> nobody gives us advice. some food by injection. >> reporter: uh-huh. >> as you see, his body's weak. >> reporter: he'd been expected to die almost two years ago. but convicted pan am 103 bomber abdelbaset ali al megrahi lives. only just. >> amazing stuff from nick robertson. zain verjee is live in london. so the republican presidential candidate, mitt romney, he wants this guy to be extradited to the united states. but libya is saying no. what do you suppose will happen? >> that's exactly right. the british and the u.s. want abdelbaset ali al megrahi back -- extradited. but the libyans are saying no way, they're going to keep him in libya. the majority of people around the world, this is a man that has been convicted for an awful terrorist act. he has always maintained his innocence. one of the things that people are discussing this morning, carol, is whether the secrets of lockerbie and what he does know will die with him. how much information will we get about what really happened back in 1988 when 270 people died. most of them americans. it's also something when you look at this video and you listen to the reporting, too, because what we're learning, too, is that his house was apparently looted, as well. a lot of drugs and medication that al megrahi has been using taken away. the phone lines have been cut. there's no doctor around. all he really does have is what we saw in the picture there, just an oxygen mask and a tank, carol. >> fascinating stuff. i can't believe nic robertson had the courage to climb over that wall. i'm not sure i would have. >> i know. pretty amazing that they got that shot and found him like that, you know. and like you said, that everybody expected that he would only have a couple of months or three months to live. and it's been two years. >> i know, but it looks bad now. thank you very much. irene, as you know, caused flight cancelations and power outages, trees were down everywhere. so we know what a lot of you are wondering this morning. how the heck am i going to get around today? we've got the latest. good morning to you. it is monday, august 29. this is your "a.m. wake-up call." i'm joining you live from new york city. it is just about 30 minutes past the hour. let's talk about irene. the storm formerly known as hurricane irene is blowing out over canada. it's little more than a post tropical cyclone now. but it has bruised the eastern united states with a trail of deaths, damage, flooding, and power outages from north carolina all the way to vermont. right now we know of at least 20 deaths that are linked to the storm. more than four million customers still don't have electricity. flooding has trapped several families in new york's catskill mountains. and vermont is seeing some of its worst flooding in generations. some business owners in new jersey will spend today cleaning up and adding up the damage. let's go there now with our reporter in millburn, new jerse