August 29th 2005

An updated story.

Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast Monday with 145 MPH winds.  The center hit just outside New Orleans, flooding entire neighborhoods up to the roofs.  The storm has killed at least 55 people. 

New Orleans is particularly vulnerable because it sits below sea level.  Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco said rescuers have plucked hundreds of people off rooftops and from the water.  ``We pray that the loss of life is very limited, but we fear that is not the case,'' Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco said.   

Lucky for New Orleans, Mississippi took the brunt of the Hurricane.  The storm took a last minute turn from New Orleans, hitting Mississippi with the maximum impact.  According to Reuters, the storm sent a “powerful wall of water towards Mississippi”   

"The state has suffered a grievous blow on the coast," Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour said.  The last minute turn from New Orleans caused Biloxi and Gulfport to get flooded.  There was a 20 foot storm surge flowing hundreds of yards inland. 

 An oil drilling rig broke free of its mooring in Mobile Bay, Alabama slamming into a bridge.  Reports of two rigs are adrift in the Gulf of Mexico.  The storm could cost up to an estimated $26 billion.  . 

Officials said up to 20 buildings in New Orleans had collapse or were in danger of collapsing.  "It's too dangerous to come home," Governor Blanco said.  Too many roads are flooded and power lines are down throughout the city. 

Katrina knocked out power to 670,000 customers.  There are about 1.3 million people without power. 

The storm has deteriorated into a tropical storm moving through Mississippi, Alabama and Florida as of 10PM CDT.  All Hurricane Katrina Information. 

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By Dan Wilson
Best Syndication Staff Writer

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Keywords and misspellings:  Hurricane Huricane Katrina Catrina Path of expected track trak