About 28 people have died in Buffalo, western New York state, as a monster winter storm continues to batter North America.
According to a state official, some people were trapped in cars for more than two days during what was “probably” the worst storm of their lives.
Meteorologists have predicted that up to nine inches (23cm) of snow will fall in parts of the state on Tuesday.
According to the BBC, the storm stretches from Canada to Mexico, killing 56 people in total.
US President Joe Biden signed an emergency declaration allowing federal assistance to New York State.
“My heart is with those who lost loved ones this holiday weekend,” he tweeted.
State Governor Kathy Hochul, a native of Buffalo, described the storm as “the blizzard of the century”.
“It is [like] going to a war zone, and the vehicles along the sides of the roads are shocking.”
Heavy snow kills 17 in Japan
Meanwhile disaster management officials said on Monday that heavy snow in large swaths of Japan killed 17 and injured more than 90 people leaving hundreds of homes without power,
Powerful winter fronts dumped heavy snow in northern regions since last week, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded on highways, delaying delivery services and causing 11 deaths by Saturday.
Also a heavy snow knocked down an electric power transmission tower in Japan’s northernmost main island, leaving about 20,000 homes without power on Christmas morning, though electricity was restored in most areas later that day, according to the economy and industry ministry.
While the transportation ministry say dozens of trains and flights were also suspended in northern Japan through Sunday, but services have since mostly resumed.
