Deadly US winter storm leaves tens of thousands without power as cold persists
“A major US winter storm has been blamed for dozens of deaths across multiple states and left large areas dealing with outages and dangerous cold.”
Key points
- A major US winter storm has been blamed for dozens of deaths across multiple states and left large areas dealing with outages and dangerous cold.
- Cities expanded emergency responses for vulnerable residents as forecasters warned the cold could persist into early February.
A powerful winter storm across the United States has been linked to at least 38 deaths in 14 states, as subfreezing temperatures linger after widespread snow and ice disrupted travel and knocked out power, according to local officials and media reports cited in the dispatch.
The storm began developing late last week, spreading heavy snow and ice through the weekend. Even after conditions eased, the cold snap persisted, pushing city authorities to mobilise emergency resources, particularly for people sleeping outdoors.
More than 550,000 homes and businesses were reported without electricity as officials worked to restore service. In New York City, the mayor said temperatures fell to their lowest point in eight years, and officials reported multiple deaths as the city postponed an annual homelessness count to prioritise outreach during extreme weather.
In Nashville, officials described the event as a historic ice storm, with shelters filled to capacity and emergency workers checking on vulnerable residents. The report also noted additional hypothermia deaths across several states and warned that roughly 200 million Americans remained under winter cold alerts through at least early February, with meteorologists monitoring another potential system later in the week.
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