Dec 25 (Reuters) – The death toll from the severe winter storm that slammed into the United States, causing steep drops in temperatures from the northern Great Plains to the border with Mexico, has risen to 28 died on Sunday.
More than 200,000 homes and businesses were without power on the East Coast of the United States, in Texas and in Washington State against 1.8 million the day before, according to PowerOutage.us.
AT least 28 people have died so far in weather-related incidents, according to an NBC News tally. CNN had reported 26 deaths as of Sunday morning.
In Buffalo, a city in the state of New York swept by a powerful snowstorm, 16% of the inhabitants had no electricity on Sunday, according to the authorities. Seven people died and the snow, which continued to fall on Sunday, reached 1.2 meters in height.
New York State Governor Kathy Hochul told reporters she had been in touch with the White House and that Joe Biden’s administration would support the state’s request for a federal disaster declaration. .
“This storm will go down in history as the most devastating in Buffalo. It made a big impression and we’re still right in the middle of the storm,” said Kathy Hochul.
Sunday morning temperatures were still well below average across the central and eastern United States, and up to the Gulf Coast, said National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologist Rich Otto.
“One to two feet (30.48-60.96 centimeters) of snow is still expected before Monday morning in the Buffalo area,” Rich Otto added. “I think it’s safe to say that in a way the worst is over, but there’s still some pretty heavy snowfall continuing today in the Buffalo area.”
Authorities in Kentucky have confirmed at least three storm-related deaths in that state, while at least two motorists were killed and many others injured in a pileup involving 50 vehicles Friday on the Ohio highway. (Report Gabriella Borter, Lucia Mutikani, Rick Cowan and Ahmed Aboulenein; French version Kate Entringer)