In South Florida, iguanas were falling from trees as they became paralyzed by the cold – the thermometer dropped to 7 degrees Celsius, according to residents who posted photos of the unfortunate reptiles on Twitter.
A deadly snowstorm swept through Buffalo, New York today, trapping people in their cars and causing power outages.
From the wave of bad weather affecting much of the United States, 28 people have lost their lives so far, according to the count of the NBC News network.
CNN reported 26 dead.
New York’s Erie County Sheriff Mark Polonkarz said the storm’s death toll in the Buffalo area now stands at seven.
The snow today in this area of ​​western New York reached a depth of 1.2 meters.
In the morning, four bodies were found, some in cars and others on piles of snow on the side of the road. There is a risk that the number of victims will increase.
“This is not the Christmas we hoped for or expected, but try to enjoy it as much as possible today. My deepest condolences to the families who have lost loved ones,” he tweeted.
New York Gov. Kathy Hokul told a reporter that she is in contact with the White House and that President Joe Biden’s administration will respond to the state’s request to declare a state of disaster. “It will go down in history as the most destructive storm in Buffalo.
It’s of historic proportions and we’re only halfway there,” Hokul said.
The powerful winter storm that brought polar temperatures from the northern Great Valleys to the Mexican border is moving eastward today after leaving millions without power and causing thousands of flights to be canceled amid the holiday season.
By early this morning more than 200,000 homes and businesses were without power on the East Coast, Texas and Washington State – a number dramatically lower than Saturday’s 1.8 million, according to the website PowerOutage.us.
In Buffalo, 16% of residents were without power today.
By midday, more than 1,500 flights had been canceled across the US, specialist website FlighAware reported.
Christmas morning temperatures were well below average for the season in the central and eastern US. Freezing conditions extended as far as the Gulf of Mexico coast, according to National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologist Rich Otto.
In South Florida, iguanas were falling from trees as they became paralyzed by the cold – the thermometer dropped to 7 degrees Celsius, according to residents who posted photos of the unfortunate reptiles on Twitter.
In Erie County, about 500 drivers were trapped in their vehicles overnight Friday into Saturday, and the National Guard was called in to help rescue them, Polonkarz said. A countywide curfew remains in effect today.
At the Buffalo airport, the snow reached 109 cm today at 14.00 (Greece time). Another 30-60 centimeters is expected to be added by Monday morning, Otto said.
The winds in the area are so strong that “snowballs form,” said Allie Lawson, 34, who has lived in Buffalo for eight years. “Last night we couldn’t see anything beyond the threshold of the house” and the situation is such that even the snow plows can’t go out on the streets, he added.
In Kentucky, officials confirmed at least three deaths related to the severe weather. At least four people have died and many others have been injured in Ohio. A 50-car pileup closed the Ohio Turnpike in both directions near Toledo on Friday.
Almost everywhere, from Denver to Chicago, shelters have been opened to welcome people in need of warmth and protection from the danger of hypothermia.
In El Paso, Texas, desperate migrants from Mexico went to churches, schools and a community center for warmth, said Rosa Falcon, an educator and volunteer. But some chose to stay outside despite the freezing temperatures, fearing they would attract the attention of immigration authorities, he explained.
RES-EMP
Read the News today and get the latest news.
Follow Skai.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news.
With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
