US blizzard leaves thousands without power
The winter storm that brought heavy snow, high winds and brutal cold across the USA has left hundreds of thousands without power on Christmas morning.
Image source: CNN
USA: The winter storm that brought heavy snow, high winds and brutal cold across the USA has left hundreds of thousands without power on Christmas morning.
Perhaps the worst impact was around Buffalo, New York, where 43 inches of snow fell as of Sunday morning, according to the National Weather Service. The snowfall and blizzard conditions made roads impassable, froze power substations and left more than a dozen people dead, Erie County officials said.
The conditions eased slightly on Sunday, allowing emergency responders to get out and see the extent of the problem.
A power grid operator for at least 13 states in the country’s eastern half asked customers to conserve power and set thermostats lower than usual from early Saturday to 10 a.m. on Sunday because usage was straining capacity.
In New York, utility companies Con Edison and Natural Grid US also urged customers to conserve energy, citing extreme weather conditions and increased energy demand on interstate pipelines carrying natural gas into the city.
Meanwhile, a shortage of electricity in Texas prompted the US Department of Energy to declare an emergency, allowing the state’s energy provider to exceed environmental emissions standards until energy usage drops.
In Jackson, Mississippi, frigid temperatures are hampering efforts to repair a large water main break late Saturday, which has caused a loss in water pressure for residents, city officials said.
“We are grateful to the crews who are braving these frigid temperatures on this Christmas Eve night, while working to restore pressure to residents. Their sacrifice does not go unnoticed and is appreciated not only by this administration, but also by every resident who is affected,” the release stated.
Source: CNN
#emergency#extreme winter conditions#fatalities#power outage#USA#winter storm