News Desk
ISLAMABAD/WASHINGTON: A fearsome winter freeze left at least 16 people dead and more than 700,000 without power in several US states on Saturday.
Freezing temperatures
The arctic blast gripped much of the United States, leading to the cancellation of flights as airports struggled to operate under freezing temperatures, according to Reuters.
Subzero temperatures were expected on Christmas and energy systems were strained by rising demand across the country for heat and storm-related damage to transmission lines.
The latest power outages have left over 1.8 million US homes and businesses without power across the US as of early Saturday morning, tracking site Poweroutage.us said.
The storm ripped through at least eight states as heavy snow, howling winds and dangerously frigid temperatures kept much of the country, including the normally temperate south, in an icy grip for a third straight day.
Many electricity-providing companies asked customers to save energy by not using large appliances and turning off unneeded lights.
Duke Energy said it had ended the 15-30-minute blackouts across north and South Carolina that it had initiated earlier until additional electricity was available.
More than 2,700 US flights were canceled on Saturday, with total delays reaching more than 6,400, according to flight-tracking service FlightAware. Over 5,000 flights were canceled on Friday, according to FlightAware.
According to media reports, weather-related accidents across the country left at least 16 people dead and hundreds stranded on ice and snowbound roads.
In Erie County in New York, around 500 motorists were stranded in their vehicles between Saturday and Friday night, with the National Guard called in to help with rescues. At least one person was found dead in a car, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said.
