• CNN: “We need to recognize we may be about to experience our equivalent of the Asian tsunami, in terms of the damage and the numbers of people that can be killed.”
• Katrina hits land with 145 mph winds. Electrical power at Superdome failed at 5:02 AM EST.
• From Jon Donley: High rise windows blowing out, building collapses perhaps with people inside, somehow still power to blog from Times-Picayune building.
• Louisiana Governor Blanco: Too early to assess damage, casualties.
• Newspaper account from inside the Superdome.
• Building codes in New Orleans not up to snuff.
• Katrina so powerful that Florida panhandle hit with 46 mph winds.
• Couple spends thousands on limo to get out of town.
• Beyond money, Red Cross needs phone volunteers.
• CNN IS NOW REPORTING THAT A PORTION OF THE SUPERDOME IS STARTING TO PEEL AWAY. (However, Superdome was constructed with multiple layers.)
• Jeff offers his rememberances.

• Major spike in water level at Lake Pontchartian.
• Instapundit uses the hurricane footage as an excuse to get into a personal pissing match. Classy, Reynolds.
• Local coverage: 15,000 people are trapped on I-10 behind an accident.
• More great coverage at Storm Digest and Brendan Loy.
• Endless tales of people stubbornly staying at the French Quarter.
• More live blogging.
• KHOU: If the eye passes over the high-rise buildings, the windows will blow. Regardless of this, the buildings will sway. People secured in central ballrooms, often on third floors. All gabled roofs will fail.
• More resources from About Last Night.
• Also of note: Times-Picayune reporter Jon Donley, trapped in the Hurricane Bunker.

According to KHOU, gusts as we speak in New Orleans are now at 90 mph. Heaven help those in the Superdome.

Jesus. (RealMedia)

Description: Lots of sirens, the shadow of something being swayed hard by the wind.