At least 10 dead as US winter storm causes outages, flight cancellations
An additional 3,800 flights cancelled as heavy snow and freezing temperatures cause transportation snags.
Winter storm leaves over a million customers without power across US
The northeastern United States is experiencing the end of a strong winter storm that caused freezing temperatures, power outages, deaths and transportation issues across the country over the weekend.
The flight-tracking website FlightAware showed that about 5,300 flights were cancelled as of Monday afternoon, with an additional 4,300 delayed as heavy snow and freezing rain continue to blanket the northeast.
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“I pray for 2 feet [61cm] every time we get a snowstorm. I want as much as we can get,” New York City resident January Cotrel told The Associated Press news agency. “Let the city just shut down for a day, and it’s beautiful, and then we can get back to life.”
More than 10 deaths have been reported as a result of the storm. In New York City, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said five people were found dead outside over the weekend.
Flight cancellations are expected to increase
The website poweroutage.com reported that more than 700,000 houses and businesses were without electricity across the US on Monday, most of them concentrated in the South, where the storm brought freezing rain and temperatures.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Monday that President Donald Trump continues to “monitor the situation closely” and has approved 12 federal emergency disaster declarations, freeing up additional resources in states such as Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.
“These declarations will help state-led efforts of turning power back on, clearing roads for emergency services, and keeping communities safe,” said Leavitt. “The White House will continue to correspond directly with governors and local officials in the coming days, especially in those states that were harshly impacted by this storm.”
Health authorities in the Southern state of Louisiana reported that two people had died from hypothermia, and icy weather brought down power lines in Tennessee.
Flight cancellations are expected to increase throughout Monday, and more snow is forecast across the Appalachian Mountain region as the cold front moves offshore. More than 11,000 flights were cancelled on Sunday, leaving thousands of travellers in a state of uncertainty.
The AFP news agency reported that about 190 million people in the US were under some form of extreme cold alert, citing a statement from the National Weather Service (NWS).
Heavy snow has also filled roads, impeding local travel and prompting warnings from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and local authorities for residents to stay inside if possible.
The New York state branch of the NWS said on Monday that temperatures are expected to remain below freezing throughout the week, but any remaining snowfall would be light and was expected to end on Monday morning or early afternoon.