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MOBILE, Ala. -- Rain and wind pounded the Gulf Coast today as Hurricane Katrina moved ashore, spawning tornadoes and flash flooding in Mississippi and Alabama.

In Mobile, what officials feared would happen, did happen: Part of the downtown area was under water. The Mobile Convention Center looked like it was sitting in the middle of a lake as winds pushed water from the bay into the streets.

About 10 a.m., operators of the Marriott Hotel near downtown rang up guests and invited them to a second-floor ballroom of the high-rise building, where they could watch a movie, "Robots," and eat sandwiches. About 200 people showed up, but many stayed in their rooms.

Hurricane-force winds pounded windows on the glass-front hotel, feeling at times like a minor earthquake, and two metal flagpoles nearby were thrashed about. At midday trees, were still swaying in the strong winds.

Hotel officials kept shooing the curious away from large glass windows. They also replaced plywood covers over the front door, placed there to keep the wind out.

Electricity went out at 11 a.m., shutting off lights and air conditioning. Hotel management brought in generator-driven industrial fans to provide some relief from 80-degree temperatures and 90-percent- plus humidity.

In downtown Mobile, near the bay, water depths reached 10 to 12 feet. Hospitals along the coast report flooding on their first floors.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-050829katrina-gulfcoast,1,4054384.story?coll=chi-news-hed

I can't get on the Mobile Register's website.

WPMI TV reports:

WPMI NBC 15 is temporarily off the air. We were broadcasting on generator power, but a lightning hit took us off the air. Tune in to LiteMix 99.9, 95 WKSJ and other clear channel stations.

WPMI has a blog from the newsroom here, but it doesn't say much about conditions outside. The last update:

8/29/05 - 9:58 a.m.

Wow...what a turn of events. Sandra, Jim and I have relocated to the Clear Channel Radio building on Broadcast Drive. We're taking part in Chris Smith and Mary Booth's broadcast that is going out over all Clear Channel radio stations. About an hour ago while we were on the air and under a tornado warning, our generator caught fire and shook the newsroom. Everyone in the building had just heard the tornado warning announced, so all the people upstairs were evacuated down to the level of the station that is partially underground. The end result is that everyone is safe, but the generator is shot and the station is powerless. I don't know how long we'll be here or how long the station will be off the air, but hopefully arrangements can be made to get us back on the air as soon as possible.

I'll update more when I can.

WKRG TV (CBS) has a live feed, if someone wants to monitor it.

I'll keep looking.