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| A severe snowstorm has caused ice to accumulate in front of Capitol Hill, the Congress building in Washington, DC, USA | Photo: Reuters |
At least five people have been killed in a winter deadly snowstorm in the United States, which has blanketed large parts of the country with snow, forced mass school closures, disrupted travel, and caused power outages.
Seven states in the US have already declared states of emergency: Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky, and Arkansas.
More than 2,000 flights have been canceled in the country. 6,500 flights have been delayed due to severe adverse weather conditions.
Snowfall is forecast to continue on the East Coast of the United States through Monday night (local time). More than 25,000 people were left without power this afternoon.
According to meteorologists, cold air from the Arctic region could keep parts of the United States covered in ice for several more weeks.
The blizzard has been named 'Storm Blazer'. Washington, DC has declared a weather emergency until Tuesday morning due to the storm.
Lawmakers gathered in Washington, D.C., on Monday to formally confirm Donald Trump's victory in the November election and recognize him as president. There were 5 to 9 inches of snow there. Parts of Maryland and Virginia reported up to a foot of snow.
Snowstorms have made roads dangerous in other parts of the United States. The Missouri Highway Patrol said at least 365 people were involved in road accidents on Sunday, killing at least one person and injuring dozens.
The state of Kansas was the hardest hit by the blizzard. Local media reported that two people were killed in a road accident during a blizzard near the state.
The body of a man was found in front of a bus stop in Houston, Texas, on Monday morning, local authorities said. He died of extreme cold.
Between midnight Sunday and Monday morning, nearly 300 road accidents were reported in Virginia. Local authorities have warned residents in most areas to avoid driving. At least one driver was killed in the accident, according to local media reports.
Matthew Capucci, senior meteorologist at weather app MyRadar, told the BBC that Kansas City had suffered its heaviest snowfall in 32 years.
According to data provided by the US electrical information service website PowerOutage.US, more than 260,000 people were without power in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia as of Monday afternoon due to the snowstorm.