At least seven people have died as a result of a monster winter storm in the United States that has brought heavy snowfall and ice from the Gulf coast to the north-east, leaving more than one million in the south without power and cancelling more than 10,000 flights.
The Louisiana Department of Health confirmed two deaths related to the winter storm in Caddo Parish, where two men of unknown ages died of hypothermia. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani reported at least five New Yorkers were found dead outside before the snow began, describing the deaths as a reminder of the dangers of extreme cold, particularly for homeless people.
The National Weather Service warned of widespread heavy ice accumulation in the south-east, with up to 18 inches of snow expected over New England and half an inch of freezing rain in parts of the Mid-Atlantic and Ohio and Tennessee Valleys. In the wake of the storm, bitterly cold temperatures and dangerously cold wind chills are forecast from the Southern Plains to the north-east.
President Donald Trump approved federal emergency disaster declarations in 12 states, and 17 states and the District of Columbia declared weather emergencies. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem urged people to stock up on fuel and food, adding that utility crews were working to restore power as quickly as possible.
As of Sunday morning, more than 900,000 customers were without electricity, with the highest numbers in Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. The Department of Energy issued emergency orders to allow grid operators to deploy backup generation and run specified resources to limit blackouts. More than 10,500 flights were cancelled on Sunday, the highest cancellation event since the pandemic, with further cancellations reported for Monday.
