In the United States and Canada, at least 38 people have lost their lives due to the extreme Arctic freeze that has persisted for weeks.
According to reports, 34 people perished as a result of this disaster across the United States, with Buffalo, New York, being the hardest devastated.
A Canadian bus flipped on an ice road in the town of Merritt in the province of British Columbia, killing four people.
Never before has a winter storm reached that far south, all the way to the Rio Grande, from Canada.
Even if the storm is expected to lessen in the next days, forecasters nevertheless advise against any unnecessary travel.
Power has been intermittently restored after being knocked out during the storm’s multiple days of destruction.
By Sunday afternoon EDT, the Associated Press reported that the number of people without electricity had dropped to less than 200 thousand from a high of 1.7 million.
Thousands of flights were cancelled, making it impossible for many people to spend Christmas with their families.
On Sunday, wind chill alerts affected almost 55 million people across the United States.
It has been difficult to go around the United States because of the “bomb cyclone” winter storm. This type of storm is caused by a sudden drop in air pressure and results in intense snowfall and high winds.
“This will go down in history as Buffalo’s most disastrous storm,” said New York Governor Kathy Hochul, who was born and raised in the city.
It’s disturbing to see vehicles parked on the sides of the roadways, she told reporters on Sunday night, comparing it to a war zone.
All those in the neighbourhood, she warned, should stay indoors because of the “extremely severe life-threatening condition” that persisted.
Some of the twelve confirmed deaths in Erie County were discovered in vehicles or snow banks.
To avoid the harsh winter, they made their way south. However, the storm still tracked them down.
Staying safe during a winter storm
Vermont, Ohio, Missouri, Wisconsin, Kansas, and Colorado all reported storm-related fatalities. Extremely cold weather in South Florida caused iguanas to become stranded on tree branches.
Temperatures have dropped to -50F in the western US state of Montana (-45C).
Two Canadian provinces, Ontario and Quebec, are taking the brunt of the storm’s effects.
On Sunday, the power to over 120,000 Quebec households was cut off. Some residents may not have power restored to their homes for several days, according to authorities.
