New York: A massive snowstorm in the United States has left eight dead, according to officials.
Many motorists were stranded and flights were cancelled as the snowstorm in areas east and southeast of Buffalo, in Northern New York state hampered normal life.
According to Mark Poloncarz, Erie County's Executive, these areas could receive a year's total of snow or even more in just a matter of two days.
The US may witness another 3 ft of snowfall today and this could call for a prompt federal disaster declaration.
Two more people have been reported dead in New Hampshire and Michigan by the media.
The National Weather Service have confirmed that temperatures will remain below normal from the Midwest to the East Coast until the weekend, with all 50 states recording below freezing temperatures.
Across Buffalo'S Erie County, travels have been banned and a state of emergency has been declared. People have been instructed to stay indoors so that crews can clear up the roads and repair damages caused by the storm.
“Many communities are still in a very difficult, sometimes paralyzed situation,” Poloncarz said.
Three of those who died suffered heart attacks while shoveling snow and another person died while using a snowplow.
”We've had six deaths in the area, five of which have been preventable,” said Erie county health commissioner Gale Burstein.
And New York-based rock band Interpol was among those trapped in the snowstorm outside Buffalo overnight, forcing them to cancel a concert across the Canadian border in Toronto.
“Still trapped yo! Haven't really moved in 30 hours and we've been on the bus for nearly 40 hours. Nutso. Never seen anything like it,” the band said on Twitter.
And New York-based rock band Interpol was among those trapped in the snowstorm outside Buffalo overnight, forcing them to cancel a concert across the Canadian border in Toronto.
