This man in Buffalo, New York struggles to clear his driveway after a heavy snowfall
The powerful blizzard that swept across the northern United States has left Buffalo, New York, as a “war zone,” said state governor Kathy Hochul.
The city recorded 25 weather-related deaths on Monday, up from the number it recorded yesterday, Sunday, which was 13 cases.
“This is a war with Mother Nature and she is hitting us with everything she has,” the New York governor said Thursday.
The blizzard, which stretched from Canada to the Mexican border, killed at least 50 people nationwide.
The area around Buffalo in upstate New York was hardest hit by the storm.
“It’s like going into a war zone and seeing cars on both sides of the road is terrifying,” said New York Governor Hochul, a Buffalo native.
He said residents were facing a “life-threatening situation” as many emergency vehicles were unable to reach the hardest-hit areas or became stranded in snow.
A family with children aged between two and six had to wait 11 hours before being rescued in the early morning hours of Christmas Day.
“I had just lost hope,” his father, Zila Santiago, told CBS. He said he was able to keep warm by keeping the engine running and manage stress by playing with the kids.
More victims are expected to be found once the melting snowdrifts uncover cars caught in the storm and make way for remote homes.
The winter storm, or “bomb hurricane” as it’s known, disrupted travel across the country. This phenomenon occurs when atmospheric pressure decreases, causing heavy snowfall and strong winds.
Meteorologists say that the storm will subside in the coming days, but the advice to people is still to avoid travel and travel unless necessary.
More than 250,000 homes and businesses experienced power outages over the weekend, but power is gradually being restored.
And in Canada, four deaths occurred when a bus overturned on an icy road, near the town of Merritt in the western province of British Columbia.
Thousands of flights have been cancelled, preventing many people from reaching their families for Christmas.
More than 55 million Americans remained on a wind chill alert Sunday.
image copyright Reuters
Snow covered many houses and public facilities
The extent of the blizzard conditions was unprecedented, from Canada all the way to Texas.
Erie County Executive Mark Poloncars told Reuters news agency the dead were found in the cars and frozen ponds.
image copyright Reuters
In the province of Ontario in Canada, a number of motorists had to abandon their cars due to snowstorms
Storm-related deaths were also reported in Vermont, Ohio, Missouri, Wisconsin, Kansas and Colorado.
The state of Montana in the western US is hardest hit by the cold, with temperatures dropping to 50 F (-45 C).
In Canada, Ontario and Quebec are bearing the brunt of the storm.
In Quebec, nearly 120,000 consumers lost power on Sunday. Officials say it could take days to restore power to some families.
