Monster storm kills 55 in southern US

Announcing itself with shrieking, 145-mph winds, Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast just outside New Orleans yesterday, submerging entire neighbourhoods, swamping Mississippi’s beachfront casinos and killing at least 55 people.

Jim Pollard, spokesman for the Harrison County emergency operations centre, said 50 people were killed by Katrina in his county, with the bulk of the deaths at an apartment complex in Biloxi.