27.12.2022
The United States authorities described the snowfall as the “storm of the century”, which leaves 47 dead and it is not ruled out that more people continue to die. Conditions will gradually improve during the week.
The fierce winter storm that whips USA For several days, it has caused the death of at least 47 people, including 25 in a single New York state county, and it is far from over, authorities warned this Monday (12.26.2022), calling it the “storm of the century.”
“It’s too early to say it’s over,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said, adding that another 12 inches of snow was still expected to fall.
“It’s clearly the blizzard of the century,” he added during a news conference in Buffalo, his hometown.
Although the intensity of the storm is no longer what it was in recent days, “it is still dangerous to be outside,” Hochul said.
Accustomed to freezing cold and heavy snowfall, western New York state bordering Canada is buried under a blanket of snow, enduring polar temperatures since last week.
The death toll in Erie County on Sunday night was 13, but local services have since confirmed the deaths of 12 more people, “bringing the total death toll from the blizzard to 25,” Mark reported. Poloncarz, responsible for this county.
Some people have been found dead in their cars, and others have died of cardiac arrest trying to clear snow while temperatures are still low, he told a news conference.
He added that more victims are expected to be found. The number of confirmed deaths by authorities in nine states across the country is now at least 47. In Ohio, storm-related traffic accidents have killed nine people, the state Highway Patrol confirmed to AFP.
Biden sends message to relatives of deceased
“My heart goes out to those who lost loved ones this holiday weekend,” the US president tweeted Monday. Joe Bidenstating that he called the governor and promising to provide the necessary federal resources.
National Guardsmen and other first responders have already rescued hundreds of people from snow-covered cars and homes without power, but authorities say people remain trapped.
Power has been restored to some 13,000 homes in the last 24 hours, but more than 12,000 are still without service, Poloncarz said, clarifying that some will not be able to be connected to the grid before Tuesday.
On Saturday, power outages across the country affected almost 1.7 million homes, according to the specialized site poweroutage.us.
Since Wednesday night, the United States has been battered by this rare intensity storm, whose polar winds have brought heavy snowfall, especially in the Great Lakes region.
Freezing temperatures were recorded in 48 US states over the weekend, including Texas communities along the border with Mexico, where some recently arrived migrants were having difficulty finding shelter.
Tens of millions of Americans had their Christmas upended by massive power outages, impassable roads and thousands of canceled flights, causing chaos at airports.
The weather is expected to gradually improve as the week progresses.
mg (afp, CNN)