Severe Cold Grips America as Power Outages, Flight Cancellations Surge
Washington, United States | Web Desk
A historic winter storm has tightened its grip across the United States, forcing authorities to declare weather emergencies in 17 states and Washington, D.C., while hundreds of thousands remain without power and thousands of flights are cancelled nationwide.
According to official reports, more than 230,000 electricity consumers have been left in darkness due to extreme snowfall, freezing rain, hailstorms, and powerful icy winds sweeping across the eastern two-thirds of the country.
The storm is expected to intensify further from Sunday, raising fears of widespread disruption in eastern states, where daily life could come to a standstill.
Foreign news agencies report that over 4,000 flights were cancelled on Saturday, with airlines already cancelling more than 9,000 flights scheduled for Sunday, citing unsafe weather conditions.
US President Donald Trump described the storm as “historic” and approved federal emergency declarations in South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, and several other states. He urged citizens to remain indoors and take all necessary precautions against the severe cold.
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that weather emergencies are currently in effect across 17 states, while the worst power outages have been reported in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Tennessee, and New Mexico.
Meanwhile, the Department of Energy has issued emergency powers in Texas to prevent a large-scale electricity shortfall, with additional measures underway to stabilize power grids nationwide.
The National Weather Service has warned that parts of the southeastern United States could face dangerous and potentially destructive ice accumulation, urging residents to stock food, fuel, and essential supplies ahead of worsening conditions.
