Katrina batters Superdome roof

Monday, August 29, 2005

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana -- Hurricane Katrina made landfall on Louisiana's southeastern shore Monday morning with sustained winds in excess of 135 mph as it moved inland, the National Hurricane Center said.

New Orleans, braced for a catastrophic direct hit from the powerful Category 4 hurricane, is sheltering nearly 10,000 people in its mammoth Superdome, but it has been reported that the structure has begun leaking as the winds damaged the roof letting daylight and rainwater in the darkened arena.

"I can see daylight straight up from inside the Superdome," Ed Reams, a CNN affiliate reported.

National Guard troops moved people to the other side of the dome. Others were moving beneath the concrete-reinforced terrace level.

"This is only going to get bigger," he said. "We have another two hours before the worst of the storm gets to us."