US's ghastly Christmas: Blizzard kills 34; thousands left without electricity
A winter storm in parts of the eastern United States has left 34 people dead and caused a power outage affecting over a million at one time. People haven't been able to celebrate the Christmas holidays with the blizzard isolating certain areas—especially New York's Buffalo—with snow drifts measuring up to eight feet. Residents were warned to stay indoors due to a "dangerous life-threatening situation."
Why does this story matter?
- Last week, the weather department in the US issued warnings for an impending "bomb cyclone" likely to spoil the holiday season by triggering a "once-in-a-generation" arctic storm.
- Thousands of flights had to be canceled, and homeless shelters were overflowing as temperatures dropped to as low as -45 degrees Celsius in some areas ahead of Christmas.
- It was predicted to affect around 135 million people.
All 48 contiguous states facing sub-zero temperatures
Although the five-day-long storm, coupled with blizzard conditions, has reportedly shown signs of easing, over 200,000 people woke up to no power on Christmas morning across eastern states. All 48 contiguous states of the US experienced below-freezing temperatures triggered by ferocious winds. Those who set out for travel in the holidays are left stranded amid thousands of canceled flights, just as those staying home.
Homeless shelters flooding, migrants stranded
A wild winter storm continues to envelop much of the US, bringing blinding blizzards, flooding and life-threatening cold that created mayhem for those travelling over Christmas — in pictures https://t.co/EN5xJchduA pic.twitter.com/RYEWOswlZF
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) December 24, 2022
More intense than the snowstorm of 1977
New York's Governor Kathy Hochul said this blizzard's intensity surpassed the 1977 snowstorm, which lasted four days and claimed 30 lives. Meanwhile, additional one-two feet of snow with wind gusts over 60 kmph were forecasted for Monday in parts of Buffalo. In British Columbia, Canada, a bus rolled over on icy roads, reportedly leaving four dead and 52 people injured on Christmas Eve.
1.7 million people were without power before Christmas
The Buffalo Niagara International Airport was blocked until Tuesday and driving was prohibited across Erie County. Around 1.7 million people were without power on Saturday. Electrical substations were frozen and not expected to regain power until Tuesday. PJM Interconnection—a mid-Atlantic grid operator—urged its 65 million customers to limit electricity usage to minimize the rolling blackouts in states like North Carolina and Tennessee.
