A powerful winter storm has killed at least 25 people across the United States, dumping deep snow across a huge stretch of the country and leaving millions struggling with bitter cold, power cuts and travel chaos.
According to the Associated Press, more snow piled up across the Northeast on Monday as the tail end of the storm moved east. In the South, freezing rain caused days of misery, snapping trees and power lines and leaving hundreds of thousands without electricity. Officials said the death toll continued to rise as the storm swept from Arkansas to New England, according to the Associated Press.
Deep snow of more than a foot spread across a 1,300-mile swath of the country, shutting down highways, cancelling flights and forcing widespread school closures. The National Weather Service said areas north of Pittsburgh received up to 20 inches of snow and faced wind chills as low as minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit late Monday into Tuesday.
DEATHS REPORTED IN MULTIPLE STATES
Deaths were reported in several states. Two people were run over by snowplows in Massachusetts and Ohio. Teenagers were killed in sledding accidents in Arkansas and Texas. In Kansas, police using bloodhounds found a woman dead and covered in snow after she was last seen leaving a bar without her coat or phone. In New York City, officials said eight people were found dead outdoors during the frigid weekend.
Power outages crossed 750,000 by Monday afternoon, according to PowerOutage.com. Most were in the South, where ice storms caused heavy damage. Northern Mississippi and parts of Tennessee were among the worst hit.
MISSISSIPPI FACES WORST ICE STORM IN DECADES
Mississippi officials said the state was dealing with its worst ice storm since 1994. Emergency crews rushed to set up warming centres and distribute blankets, water and generators.
At the University of Mississippi in Oxford, classes were cancelled for the entire week as students stayed indoors without power. Mayor Robyn Tannehill said the damage was everywhere. “It looks like a tornado went down every street,” she wrote.
Local resident Tim Phillips said falling tree limbs smashed his garage, broke a window and cut power to his home. “It’s just one of those things that you try to prepare for,” he said. “But this one was just unreal.”
Air travel was also hit hard. More than 8,000 flights were delayed or cancelled across the country on Monday, according to FlightAware. On Sunday, nearly half of all US flights were cancelled, the highest single-day total since the COVID-19 pandemic, aviation firm Cirium said.
BRUTAL COLD FOLLOWS STORM
New York City recorded its snowiest day in years, with 11 inches falling in Central Park. Main roads were mostly clear by Monday morning, but sidewalks were still buried and several subway lines faced delays.
Behind the storm came brutal cold. Much of the Midwest, South and Northeast woke up to subzero temperatures. Former NOAA scientist Ryan Maue said the Lower 48 states were on track for their coldest average low since 2014.
In Nashville, Tennessee, power returned to thousands of homes, but more than 170,000 remained without electricity overnight. Many families moved into hotels to escape the cold. Alex Murray told AP that he booked a room, so his family could keep breast milk frozen for their infant daughter. “We were really fortunate,” he said.
Officials reported multiple deaths in Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Mississippi and New Jersey as the storm left a deadly trail. More light to moderate snow was forecast in parts of New England, but authorities warned the cold remained a serious risk.
Curated by Shiv Shakti Mishra
