Storm in the United States: more than 20 dead and thousands of Americans still without power
Audio 01:11
The winter storm continues in the United States where it has already killed more than 20 people and left tens of thousands of Americans without power on Christmas Day.
© KEVIN HOAK / via REUTERS
Text by: RFI Follow
3 mins
The winter storm continues in the United States where it has already killed more than 20 people and left tens of thousands of Americans without power on Christmas Day.
More than 150,000 homes were still without power on the country's east coast, particularly in New York State.
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In New York, in one of Manhattan's squares, the usually bustling Christmas market is closed today.
The mercury has been -13°C since Saturday.
Few dare to venture outside.
Sitting in a corner behind his stand of small souvenirs, Ahmed warms up as best he can.
“
I have my coffee.
And I try to move a lot.
I try to think of positive things to resist.
But it's not
!
“, he confides to the microphone of
Loubna Anaki
, RFI correspondent in New York.
VIDEO: Heavy snow sweeps through the city of Buffalo in the State of New York, as a fearsome winter storm continues to pummel parts of the United States with blizzard conditions.
pic.twitter.com/5HbaTq9bat
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) December 25, 2022
Since Wednesday evening, the United States has been hit by this
storm of rare intensity
, whose polar winds have caused heavy snowfall, especially in the Great Lakes region.
26 dead, very dangerous roads
Authorities have confirmed a total of at least 26 extreme weather-related deaths across nine states.
Some of these deaths occurred on the roads, which have become very dangerous due to icy conditions and poor visibility.
Difficult to bear this freezing winter, even for those who say they are used to the cold.
“
We were in Bryant Park and we saw that the fountain had frozen.
And we couldn't stay out for more than an hour
,” said a woman on the streets of New York.
“
I didn't think it would be so cold.
I'm frozen, my face is frozen, my soul is frozen
,” adds another passerby.
The only ones that these temperatures do not seem to discourage are tourists like Philippe.
“
There aren't many people on the streets of New York, so it's a joy.
We have New York with the cold, but it doesn't matter, we have New York to ourselves
”, puts the Frenchman into perspective.
We are still facing freezing weather all across the state.
These cold temperatures are life-threatening, so New Yorkers should please stay inside today.
If you must go outside, wear appropriate clothing, monitor for signs of hypothermia or frostbite, and take breaks.
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) December 25, 2022
The authorities called on the population to limit their movements outside.
More than 150,000 homes were still without power on the country's east coast, particularly in New York State.
Spend the night in a heated place
In Rochester, New York, hotels have seen an influx of families looking for a heated place to spend the night.
“
We gave as many rooms as possible, without additional charges.
We left them at the floor price because we fully understand the situation.
We have a lot of families.
Five of them left this morning, but some are still here because the power has not yet been restored to their homes
, ”explains Henrietta, receptionist at a hotel in Rochester, joined by RFI.
In this city, the conditions were particularly difficult with strong winds and extremely low temperatures.
“
When the wind blows at its strongest, it seems to go through the walls.
We have an old house, there are gaps around the windows and we can smell the air,
the cats hate it
!
They remained hidden during the whole storm
”, testifies a resident.
Temperatures are expected to return "
to seasonal normals by the middle of next week
," local authorities said.
►Also read
:
Storm in the United States: 1.5 million Americans without electricity
(And with
AFP
)
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