The northeastern United States is suffering the effects of a major winter storm that resulted in thousands of flights being canceled, schools closed and even vaccination against Covid-19 had to be suspended.
One of the hardest hit cities is New York City, where 8.6 million people live and where Mayor Bill de Blasio declared a state of emergency. According to the authorities, up to 60 cm of fresh snow is expected. There is also the threat of heavy snowdrifts.
“If we exceed 50 cm, it will be one of the 10 largest snowstorms be in New York City, “said Matthew Wunsch, a meteorologist with the city’s National Weather Service. The Big Apple has seen only seven snowfalls of this magnitude since the mid-1800s. The current record comes from January 2016 when it snowed almost 70 cm in three days.
In addition to closing schools and restricting unnecessary travel, de Blasio ordered a suspension of the Covid-19 vaccination program through this Tuesday. “We do not want people, especially the elderly, to go out to get vaccinated under these unsafe conditions,” said the mayor.
The three airports in the New York metropolitan area have canceled most of their flights. In return, more than 1,600 flights were canceled nationwide, mainly in Boston, New York, Washington DC und Philadelphia.
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