Hurricane Katrina Slams Florida, Enters Gulf of Mexico
urricane Katrina moved into the Gulf of Mexico off Florida’s southwestern coast Friday after dumping more than 10 inches of rain, downing trees and power lines and leaving at least five people dead in the state, news services reported.
The storm left more than one million customers without power and flooded roads throughout south Florida, the Associated Press reported.
CNBC reported Friday that there were gasoline shortages in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, as a result of people stocking up and from power being knocked out at filling stations.
The center said Katrina could intensify further in the warm waters of the gulf into a stronger Category 3 or 4 storm by Monday. Hurricane categories range from 1 to 5, with 5 being the strongest.
A second landfall on the Gulf Coast could come as early as Monday morning anywhere from Florida's panhandle to Louisiana, the center said.
hree people in Florida were killed overnight by falling trees and a fourth died when his car hit a tree, AP said. Friday afternoon a fifth victim was found floating in the water in Florida City, Fla.
Airlines canceled flights at Miami and Fort Lauderdale airports, which both closed Thursday night, but reopened Friday, AP said.
Katrina is the 11th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which began June 1. That's seven more than typically have formed by now, the hurricane center said. The hurricane season runs through Nov. 30.
Four hurricanes hit Florida last year, causing about $46 billion in damage in Florida and other states, and disrupting oil operations in the Gulf of Mexico.
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