NEW YORK: Relentless storms have battered the United States throughout the past week, resulting in a reported 50 weather-related deaths, officials and US media reported on Friday.
The country faces the aftermath of frigid temperatures, snowstorms, and thick ice, leading to fatal accidents on hazardous roads, disrupted air travel, school closures, and power outages affecting thousands. Millions of Americans are currently under new weather warnings.
In Tennessee, the state’s health department confirmed 14 weather-related fatalities, while in Pennsylvania, five women returning from a pilgrimage to Mecca died in a collision with a tractor-trailer. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear reported five weather-related deaths, and in Oregon, three people were electrocuted during an ice storm when a live power line fell on their parked car. The storm left 75,000 Oregon customers without power, and the state’s governor declared a state of emergency.
Deaths were also reported in Illinois, Kansas, New Hampshire, New York, Wisconsin, and Washington state, where five people are believed to have succumbed to exposure. Blizzard conditions affected various regions, including the Pacific Northwest, the Rocky Mountains, and parts of New England, notably western New York, where approximately 75 inches (1.9 meters) of snow fell in a five-day span.
The deep freeze has also reached the US South, an area unaccustomed to such severe winter weather. Some parts of the country are preparing for further harsh conditions over the upcoming weekend.
The National Weather Service warned on Friday, stating, “Another Arctic blast will bring cold temperatures and dangerous wind chills to the Plains and the Mississippi Valley to the eastern US.”
Air travel has been significantly impacted, with over 1,100 US flights canceled and an additional 8,000 delayed on Friday, according to Flightaware.com.
