FORT LAUDERDALE,
Florida (AP):
HURRICANE KATRINA dumped sheets of rain, kicked up the surf and blew strong winds ashore late yesterday, toppling trees and driving sand across waterfront streets as it made landfall on the state's densely populated south-east coast.
The storm toppled street signs, tore limbs from trees and blew down trees that killed two men in Ft. Lauderdale, one while he was sitting in a parked car, the other as he was walking outside, officials said.
Katrina's maximum sustained winds increased from 50 mph (80 kph) to 80 mph (129 kph) yesterday, making it a Category One storm as it hit south of Fort Lauderdale, said hurricane specialist Lixion Avila with the National Hurricane Center in Miami. An estimated 5.9 million Florida residents were in Katrina's projected path.
DAMAGE USUALLY MINIMAL
Category One storms have maximum sustained winds of 74 mph (119 kph) to 95 mph (153 kph), and wind damage to secured structures is usually minimal. Weather officials said Katrina was mostly a rain event, with flooding the main concern.
