28 people have already died in Buffalo, New York, and many are still without power as a result of the massive winter storm that has pounded North America. At least 62 weather-related fatalities have occurred in the US.
In this aerial photo, cars are still buried in the blizzards snow in Buffalo, New York, on December 28, 2022.
Extreme Situation
A state official in Buffalo claimed that military police are being called to assist with traffic control in the city, where driving is still prohibited.
During the emergency, there have been reports of looting in several areas of the city.
Thousands of flights have also been canceled due to the winter storm, including 4,800 on Tuesday morning alone. At airports around the nation, thousands of travelers are still waiting to board their flights.
Conditions are anticipated to improve, with very little snow predicted on Tuesday and a minor warming trend.
Officials in Buffalo's home county of Erie County, New York, said during a press conference on Tuesday that more fatalities are anticipated as search and rescue efforts continue. All 28 of the verified deaths occurred in Buffalo.
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Locals are Suffering
At Least 28 Dead After Historic Buffalo Blizzard That Has Paralyzed The City
Mayor of Buffalo Byron Brown said that "all of the statistics have not caught up at this time." "We know the county number in [Erie] is higher."
In the wake of the storm, which Mr. Brown described as "possibly" the worst of most locals' lives, more than 4,000 people in the region are still without electricity. About 20,000 people were without power at the storm's height.
With very little snowfall and no whiteout conditions, Mr. Brown said, the city had "improved," enabling authorities to make "substantial progress" in clearing cars and restoring electricity.
According to officials, the region's growing temperatures might cause further issues, including floods when the snow thaws.
In Erie County, local officials cleared ice and obstructions from storm drains on Tuesday in preparation for what the officials called a "rapid thaw."
Buffalo's county executive, Mark Poloncarz, said that 100 military police personnel and more state police were being sent to the region to assist with traffic management as the situation on several local roadways remained "grim."
Looting, according to Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gragmalia, "is still going on." There have been four arrests thus far.
He said this isn't a case of someone taking food, medication, or diapers. "Stores are being destroyed. They steal whatever they can get their hands on, including sofas and TVs. They seize opportunities."
State of Emergency
US President Joe Biden signed an emergency declaration on Monday that permits government assistance for New York State. His tweet said, "My heart is with those who lost loved ones this holiday weekend."
Emergency services from neighboring New Jersey were also sent to New York to help further.
Buffalo-born state governor Kathy Hochul called the storm "the snowstorm of the century."
Emergency services were reportedly compelled to search from vehicle to car for storm survivors in New York, occasionally discovering dead in automobiles and snow banks.
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