The death toll from a severe snowstorm in the United States has reached 18, APA reports, citing ABC News.
After 11,000 flights were canceled yesterday, nearly 4,000 more flights have been canceled today.
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14:44
A powerful snowstorm sweeping across the eastern and southern U.S. states has killed at least 10 people, APA reports.
Over one million people left without electricity
The storm has led to the closure of airports and major highways, leaving more than one million people without electricity.
Most affected states
In several states, temperatures have dropped below freezing. So far, the hardest-hit areas are the states of Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas.
Emergency measures taken in major cities
In major cities such as Atlanta (Georgia), Houston (Texas), and Nashville (Tennessee), most businesses and schools have suspended operations.
Thousands of flights canceled
According to Poweroutage, Tennessee has recorded the highest number of power outages. On Sunday afternoon, up to 339,000 customers were without electricity in Tennessee, around 180,000 in Mississippi, nearly 150,000 in Louisiana, and approximately 100,000 customers in each of Texas and Georgia.
Efforts are underway to restore electricity as quickly as possible.
Freezing weather to continue
In the cities of Dayton and Springfield in southwestern Ohio, snowfall has reached around 30 cm. City officials urged residents to stay off major roads, including icy routes, and to remain at home as much as possible.
Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther, in a video address, described the situation as extremely dangerous, noting that citizens should not leave their homes unless necessary.
Severe weather conditions have also significantly affected air travel in the United States. So far, more than 16,000 flights have been canceled nationwide, and thousands more have been delayed. Cancellations and delays have been reported mainly at airports in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington.
Meteorologists forecast that the storm and freezing conditions will continue in many states early in the week.
