USA: Over 60 killed in blizzard wreaking havoc nationwide

Washington, Dec 27 (Prensa Latina) The death toll from the historic blizzard across the United States jumped to 64 on Tuesday, as records snowfall blocked roads, hindering rescue operations, officials stated.

Confirming seven additional fatalities in Buffalo, Mayor Byron Brown said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” that the storm was “probably worse than anything that this city has seen in over 50 years.” At a Zoom news conference later Tuesday, the mayor said another body had been recovered, bringing the total number of deaths in Buffalo to 28.

“We need people to continue to stay patient, stay off the roads, and as soon as we can, we will lift the driving ban in the city of Buffalo,” stated Brown.

The storm wreaked havoc on New York, with incidents of roads blocked by emergency vehicles and thousands of residents left without power, said NY Governor Kathy Hochul.

The blizzard of the century also impacted on air transportation system, causing thousands of cancellations and delays since last Wednesday.

According to CNN reports, several people seized the chance of this chaos to loot stores in separate areas such as Buffalo.

Weather conditions brought more than three-feet snow to some areas, where local authorities urged people to follow local warnings and stay safe.

A National Weather Service bulletin reported that being in some outdoor areas may cause frostbite within minutes, while warning that high guts of winds would pose a potentially deadly risk to travelers, outdoor workers, livestock and pets.