Category 3 hurricane lashes coast with 120 mph winds
SABINE PASS, Texas (CNN) -- With howling winds and driving rain, Hurricane Rita made landfall early Saturday along the Gulf Coast, just east of Sabine Pass, Texas.
The center of the storm's eye crossed the coast at 3:30 a.m. EDT, forecasters said.
For hours before landfall, the Category 3 storm -- packing winds of 120 mph -- lashed the Texas and Louisiana coasts. As it churned toward shore Friday, its storm surge caused renewed flooding in Katrina-soaked New Orleans.
Concern remained Saturday about Rita's storm surge, which was predicted to be up to 20 feet in some areas of southwest Louisiana.
"Just because the center is onshore, people shouldn't think that that water's not still rising," said Max Mayfield, director of the National Hurricane Center. "Is is, especially on the east side of the eye."
The water will not subside until Rita's winds die down, which is not expected before Saturday afternoon, he said. "We almost always have loss of life well after landfall," Mayfield said.
Rita weakened in intensity from its peak Category 5 status, when the massive storm had maximum sustained winds of 165 mph as it moved through the Gulf of Mexico. But forecasters and officials warned residents to take the storm seriously.
Power outages were widespread in the Texas and Louisiana regions subjected to Rita's wrath.
Large trees were overturned in Lake Charles, Louisiana. By the time Rita made landfall, Lake Charles had received more than 8 inches of rain, according to radar estimates.
"We've got a lot of damage," said Sgt. Joey Fontenot of the sheriff's office in Calcasieu Parish, which includes Lake Charles. "We're unable to get out of our building."
In Lumberton, Texas, police had to rescue a family that was trapped in their home when a large tree fell on it. No injuries were reported.
At 5 a.m. ET, the center of Hurricane Rita was located near Port Arthur, Texas, the National Hurricane Center said.
Earlier, Port Arthur Mayor Oscar Ortiz had said was concerned about Rita moving across Sabine Pass, pushing a large surge of water toward the city.
"If that's true, it will be under water," Ortiz said. "I hate to see what my city's getting right now."
Nearly everyone in the city of roughly 57,000 has evacuated, he said. [Watch video - CNN]
Comments