Saturday, April 20, 2024
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Western NY death toll rises to 28 from cold, storm chaos

BUFFALO (AP) — Buffalo residents hovered around space heaters, hunted for cars buried in snow drifts and looked for more victims on Monday, after 28 people died in one of the worst weather-related disasters ever to hit western New York (NY).

The rest of the United States (US) also was reeling from the ferocious winter storm, with at least another two dozen deaths reported in other parts of the country.

Up to 23 centimetres (cm) more inches of snow could fall in some areas of western New York through yesterday, the National Weather Service said.

“This is not the end yet,” said Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz, calling the blizzard “the worst storm probably in our lifetime”, even for an area accustomed to punishing snow.

Some people, he noted, were stranded in their cars for more than two days.

President Joe Biden said his prayers were with the victims’ families, and offered federal assistance on Monday to the hard-hit state.

Vehicles abandoned in heavy snowfall in downtown Buffalo. PHOTO: AFP
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