Hurricane Katrina Slams Into U.S. Coast
NEW ORLEANS, LA. — Hurricane Katrina slammed ashore early Monday and charged toward this below-sea-level city with 145-mph winds and the
threat of a catastrophic storm surge. Katrina edged slightly to the east shortly before making landfall near Grand Isle , providing some
hope that the worst of the storm's wrath might not be directed at the vulnerable city. The northern part of the eyewall came ashore at
Grand Isle, about 60 miles south of New Orleans, at about 5 a.m. It was moving northward at 15 mph.
Katrina's fury was soon felt at the Louisiana Superdome , normally home of professional football's Saints, which became the shelter of
last resort Sunday for about 9,000. Electrical power at the Superdome failed at 5:02 a.m., triggering groans from the crowd. Emergency
generators kicked in, but the backup power runs only reduced lighting and is not strong enough to run the air conditioning.
Katrina, which weakened slightly overnight to a strong Category 4 storm, turned slightly eastward before hitting land, which would put the
western eyewall — the weaker side of the strongest winds — over New Orleans. The storm held a potential surge of 18 to 28 feet that would
easily top New Orleans' hurricane protection levees, as well as bigger waves and as much as 15 inches of rain.
"It's not as bad as the eastern side. It'll be plenty bad enough," said Eric Blake of the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
"It's capable of causing catastrophic damage," said National Hurricane Center Director Max Mayfield. "Even well-built structures will
have tremendous damage. Of course, what we're really worried about is the loss of lives. 
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