The snowstorms have cut off parts of the city of Buffalo, New York, from the outside world, and emergency services are unable to reach particularly affected areas. The entrance doors disappeared behind snowdrifts up to 2.40 meters high and the situation became life-threatening due to power outages in freezing temperatures.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul called it a “crisis of epic proportions.” She has dispatched approximately 200 National Guardsmen to Buffalo and the surrounding area to support emergency services. “It’s extreme, it’s dangerous and it’s deadly,” Hochul said. National Guard units also got stuck in the snow and needed help.
Buffalo on Christmas day
In Erie County, where Buffalo borders Canada, some people froze to death in their cars and others were found on the road in snowdrifts, official Mark Poloncarz said. “This is not the Christmas we wanted.”
In New York City, electric utilities have called on people to conserve energy. Heaters should be turned on as little as possible, electrical appliances such as dishwashers or tumble dryers should not be used if possible. These measures will help ensure adequate supplies, she said.
Roads closed, flights cancelled
Traffic departments in several states have advised motorists to stay home, and this at the most popular travel time of the year. Some of the busiest highways in the US, including Interstate 70, had to be temporarily closed due to black ice and heavy snow. The winter storm again led to the cancellation of more than 1,700 US flights on Sunday. Some 3,500 flights had already been canceled on Saturday and nearly 6,000 on Friday.
Off-road vehicles in the state of Michigan
So far, about 40 people have died as a result of the bad weather, broadcasters NBC and ABC reported Sunday evening (local time). Many died in road accidents.
The center of the storm has moved north and is now over eastern Canada, the US Weather Service tweeted. The region around the Great Lakes (“Great Lakes”) in the northeastern United States remains severely affected.
wa/pgr (afp, dpa)
