A powerful and unprecedented snowstorm has plunged large parts of the United States into a severe humanitarian crisis, claiming at least 30 lives so far. Record-breaking snowfall has buried roads and homes, paralysed daily life, grounded thousands of flights, and left more than 800,000 customers without electricity.
In response to the escalating disaster, weather-related states of emergency have been declared in at least 25 states across the country. The extreme winter conditions have spread from the northeastern states of New York and Massachusetts to southern regions including Texas and North Carolina. Several areas have recorded up to 18 inches of snowfall, while temperatures have plunged to as low as minus 18 degrees Celsius.
An estimated 118 million people are directly affected by the storm. New York State has reported the highest number of fatalities, with five confirmed deaths. To manage the crisis, Governor Kathy Hochul has deployed the National Guard in New York City to assist with emergency response and rescue operations.
Due to the hazardous weather conditions, schools and other educational institutions across multiple states have been ordered to remain closed until further notice. Authorities have urged residents to stay indoors and avoid travel unless absolutely necessary.
The aviation sector has been hit particularly hard. Flight operations have been suspended at most major airports across the United States. According to aviation monitoring agencies, more than 17,000 flights were cancelled nationwide on Sunday alone—the highest number of single-day cancellations since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sources: BBC, AP.