Several American cities are hit hard by the “cyclonic bomb”, but in Buffalo, New York, it is total chaos due to heavy accumulations of snow and strong winds.
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Since this morning, several residents have not been able to leave their homes. Heavy snow showers accompanied by winds exceeding 100 km/h have formed snow banks reaching a height of 1.82 meters in some cases, as reported by the New York Times.
Credit | Twitter
Several roads remain closed to traffic, and Buffalo Airport will be closed until Monday, Dec. 26, Buffalo-Niagara Airport officials announced on Twitter.
Erie County official Mark Poloncarz said yesterday was a “very, very bad day for our community.”
“This is likely to be the biggest snowstorm ever recorded in our region,” he said.
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Authorities are not even able to come to the aid of residents stuck in remote parts of the county.
“66% of our first responders got stuck yesterday. It’s not something we’re proud of. Even in very urgent situations, it is not certain that we can come to your aid, ”acknowledged Poloncarz.
Buffalo residents joined by the Daily Mail tell how the blizzard has paralyzed their area for a few hours.
“The roads are impassable. Snowplows can’t even clear the roads, so first responders get stuck,” says Brandi Benham.
The US military reserve force, the National Guard, has been called in to assist the teams on the ground, reports the Daily Mail.
By evening, authorities were already reporting three weather-related deaths in Erie County. Nationwide, there were 19 victims.
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The towering waves that hit the shores of Lake Erie also surprised many residents. A resident’s house has been transformed into a real ice castle.
Credit | Twitter
At the time of this writing, the Buffalo area and Erie County were under a blizzard warning.
