From the Great Lakes to the Mexican border: snow storm leaves devastation

Cold and snow storm kills at least 34, as global warming seemingly leaves the US behind

 

The number of deaths due to the severe cold in large parts of the United States during the Christmas holidays has risen to over 30, according to US media. Some sources assume at least 34 victims. The number is expected to increase.

The extreme winter weather occurs in a huge area, from the Great Lakes near Canada to the Mexican border. Deaths have been reported across the country, mostly from traffic accidents but also from hypothermia, falling branches or because emergency services could not arrive on time for medical emergencies.

Most of the victims were in Erie County, the area around Buffalo, but also in the state of Ohio there were at least ten victims.

Due to the extreme weather, power has been cut in some places. Especially in Buffalo, in New York state, thousands of houses were left without power and in some places the snow was more than a meter high today.

Also in several places in Maine and North Carolina, power went out in tens of thousands of homes. More than 1,700 flights were cancelled across the United States in the afternoon.

Falling iguanas

In the south of the USA, too, the cold weather leads to unusual situations. In Jackson, Mississippi, residents were told to boil their tap water because pipes had burst. In Tampa, Florida, temperatures dropped below freezing for the first time in five years, which led, among other things, to cold-blooded iguanas falling from trees.

The current temperatures are not exceptional for the US. However, the winter cold before Christmas is quite remarkable, which makes the weather and its consequences big news for American media. Also, it is rare for winter weather to occur in such a vast area. Some 60 percent of Americans have experienced extreme weather warnings in the past few days.

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