A powerful winter storm that has swept across the United States has left at least 29 people dead, leaving millions struggling with spine-chilling cold, power cuts, and travel woes.
According to a report
by the Associated Press, more snow piled up across the Northeast on Monday. In the South, freezing rain caused power cuts, leaving hundreds of thousands without electricity. Officials have said that the death toll continued to rise as the storm swept from Arkansas to New England.
Deep snow of more than a foot spread across a 1,300-mile swath of the country, causing flight cancellations, highway blockages, and school closures. According to the National Weather Service, areas north of Pittsburgh received up to 20 inches of snow, leading to wind chills as low as minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit late Monday into Tuesday.
Deaths Reported In Several States
Amid the chaos in the US, deaths were reported in multiple states. In New York, officials said that eight people were found dead outdoors during the weekend. In Massachusetts and Ohio, two people were reportedly run over by snowploughs.
In Kansas, police found a woman dead and covered in snow. As per officials, she was last seen leaving a bar without her phone or coat.
Mississippi Worst-Hit
According to Mississippi officials, the state witnessed its worst ice storm since 1994, with emergency teams rushing to set up warming centres and distribute blankets.
Classes were cancelled at the University of Mississippi in Oxford as students faced power outages. Mayor Robyn Tannehill said the damage was significant. “It looks like a tornado went down every street,” she wrote.
Air travel was also hit hard, with the country reporting more than 8,000 flight delays or cancellations, according to FlightAware. On Sunday, nearly half of all US flights were cancelled, the highest since the Covid-19 pandemic.
