One meter deep snow
“Snowstorm of the Century” claims nearly 50 lives in the United States
Snowdrifts in Buffalo
© Afp
Much of the United States is sinking into snow and freezing cold these days. The effects are felt from the north of the country to the border with Mexico. Nearly 50 people are victims of the winter storm.
The “snowstorm of the century” has so far claimed the lives of nearly 50 people in the United States. There have been 27 deaths in the hardest-hit Erie County borough in upstate New York, administration official Mark Poloncarz said on Twitter Monday evening (local time). Three of the victims in the county were found inside a car and 14 outside, he said. New York Governor Kathy Hochul warned the blizzard was “far from over” and urged residents to stay home.
According to authorities, 49 people died in the snowstorm in nine states. In the worst-hit city of Buffalo, there were hour-long power outages, and dead people were found in their cars or under snowdrifts. Rescuers moved from vehicle to vehicle looking for other victims or stranded drivers.
Three feet of snow in New York – and more to come
According to Flightaware.com, more than 15,000 domestic flights have been canceled in recent days due to extreme weather conditions, more than 3,800 on Monday alone.
Even as the storm’s intensity eases, it remains “dangerous to be out,” Governor Hochul said during a visit to Buffalo. After up to three feet of snow had already fallen in parts of New York state, another foot of new snow is expected.
Western New York state, virtually accustomed to cold and storms, disappeared under three-foot-deep snow over the Christmas weekend. Polar temperatures have prevailed there for the past week. Warmer weather is not expected until Tuesday.
Erie County Sheriff John Garcia called the blizzard the worst he had ever experienced. Sometimes, emergency services couldn’t deploy because they didn’t have eyesight. “It’s heartbreaking when you get calls from families with kids saying they’re freezing to death,” she told CNN.
The streets of Buffalo continued to be largely blocked by staggering amounts of snow on Monday. Images from the city center showed cars parked along the streets under mountains of snow.
United States National Guard on duty
Buffalo was temporarily cut off from the outside world during the Christmas season and emergency services were unable to reach particularly affected areas. The entrance doors disappeared behind snowdrifts up to three meters high and the situation became life-threatening due to power outages in freezing temperatures.
Hochul dispatched approximately 200 National Guardsmen to Buffalo and the surrounding area, who rescued hundreds from snow-covered cars and homes without power. According to the authorities, however, people were still cut off from the outside world.
Travel plans threatened
Power outages, accidents, deaths: The winter storm plunges the United States into chaos at Christmas
Buffalo International Airport was scheduled to remain closed through Tuesday. Due to frozen substations, some residents can only expect electricity again on Tuesday.
The extreme weather dropped temperatures below freezing in a total of 48 states over the weekend.
