A powerful snowstorm hit the US: millions of people were left without power, thousands of flights were canceled
Фото: REUTERS
A severe snowstorm has hit the United States of America, with a state of emergency declared in some American regions.
This was reported by Reuters.
A mix of snow, sleet and rain blanketed the United States from the Ohio Valley and Mid-South to New England. Parts of Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania received more than 12 inches of precipitation in a matter of days.
In addition, much of the country east of the Rockies was gripped by arctic cold, accompanied by gusty winds that brought temperatures down to -50°F in the northern plains.
Severe frost, rain and snowfall caused power outages, leaving more than a million residential and business customers in eight states without power, according to some reports.
The National Weather Service has warned of travel disruptions, with airlines canceling more than 11,000 flights in the US scheduled for Sunday due to the weather.
For example, Ronald Reagan Airport in northern Virginia was completely closed, and airports in New York, North Carolina, Philadelphia, and Charlotte canceled at least 80% of flights.
US President Donald Trump called the storm “historic.” He approved the declaration of a federal disaster emergency for 12 states.
However, on Saturday, 17 states and the District of Columbia declared a state of emergency.
“The situation with this storm is quite unique, because the cold is going to stay for a while. This ice that has fallen is going to keep these (power lines) heavy, even if they don’t come down right away,” said Homeland Security Secretary Christie Noem.
Reuters news agency has published photos from the United States showing snow-covered city streets. The bad weather is expected to last in the country for several more days.
As previously reported, the US is bracing for a potentially catastrophic ice storm that could cause massive power outages and major transportation disruptions, with an estimated 100 million people at risk.
Also follow “Pryamim” on Facebook , Twitter , Telegram , and Instagram .