New York, Jan 27: Daily life across the northeastern United States has been thrown into chaos after what authorities describe as the most powerful and dangerous winter storm in a century hit the region.
At least 29 people have lost their lives as heavy snowfall, extreme cold, and rain caused widespread damage across several states. The storm blanketed a stretch of nearly 2,100 kilometers from Arkansas to New England with more than one foot of snow, leaving vehicles stranded on highways. Thousands of flights have been cancelled, and schools and universities have shut down.
Weather officials say areas north of Pittsburgh received up to 20 inches of snow, with temperatures plunging to minus 31 degrees Celsius.
New York City recorded its heaviest snowfall in years. Central Park alone saw 11 inches of snow. While major roads have been cleared, pedestrians are struggling through knee-deep snow on sidewalks. Subway services have also faced delays.
Conditions in southern states appear even more severe. Freezing rain combined with snow caused trees and power poles to collapse, cutting electricity to more than 750,000 homes. Residents of Mississippi and Tennessee have been left without power in bitterly cold conditions. Mississippi officials say this is the state’s worst storm since 1994. The University of Mississippi has been closed for the entire week.
In New York, eight people have died due to extreme cold. In Massachusetts and Ohio, two people were killed after being struck by snow clearing equipment. Two teenagers died in Arkansas and Texas while playing in the snow. In Kansas, the body of a 28-year-old teacher was found buried under snow.
Louisiana, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee each reported three deaths, Mississippi reported two, and New Jersey reported one. Meteorologists estimate the average minimum temperature across 48 mainland US states will drop to minus 12.3 degrees Celsius, the lowest since 2014.
Air travel has been hit hard. More than 8,000 flights were delayed or cancelled in a single day. On Sunday alone, 45 percent of all US flights were cancelled, the highest figure since the COVID-19 pandemic.
In Nashville, Tennessee, many residents have taken shelter in hotels after power outages. Some families said they rented rooms just to keep milk safe for their young children.
Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump is closely monitoring the situation. Within 24 hours, President Trump approved federal emergency disaster declarations for 12 states, including Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee.
The declaration allows affected states access to federal funds and resources for relief work, power restoration, and road clearing. The White House said coordination with state governors and local authorities will continue in the coming days.(AP)
People’s News Monitoring Service
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