A violent wave of frost is putting the United States on its knees, causing victims, widespread blackout and transport paralysis. The provisional budget speaks of at least seven deaths, five of which in New York, while 23 states declared the state of emergency, from the South to the North of the country. The perceived temperatures reached in some areas -30 degrees, up to 40 degrees below the seasonal average.
The winter storm, which is affecting over 185 million people and could involve up to 240 million, has had a devastating impact on air traffic: more than 12 thousand flights have been deleted between today and tomorrow. Completely blocked the Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, where over 800 connections were canceled on one day.
It also severes the consequences on the electricity network. Approximately 800 thousand users have remained without current, especially in the South states. In Tennessee there are over 290 thousand blackouts, almost 200 thousand only in the Nashville area. Local authorities warn that restoration may take days, due to trees and poles knocked down by the weight of the ice. In many cities there are assaults on supermarkets, with citizens who stock food and essential goods fearing to remain isolated.
In New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani confirmed the death of five people linked to extreme weather conditions. “The extreme cold is a deadly danger, especially for the most vulnerable bands,” he said, pointing out that at the moment it does not show that the victims were homeless. Previously, the police reported finding three bodies between Manhattan and Brooklyn. Two more deaths for hypothermia were recorded in Louisiana, Caddo County.
Frost has also hit hard schools and public services. Lectures were suspended or transferred to teaching at a distance to many cities, including New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Houston, Atlanta and Dallas. Even protests in Minneapolis for the killing of Alex Pretti by Ice agents dissolved when the temperature fell to -23 degrees.
On the political level, the emergency represents the first real test bench for Donald Trump’s administration after drastic cuts in federal civil protection. The President made it clear that he was informed of the situation, ensuring that Fema is ready to intervene and support the affected States, despite the reduced resources. Meanwhile, weather authorities warn that frost rain and new ice accumulations could cause further blackout, especially along the eastern coast, while the cold wave does not slow down.
The article United States in the frost bite: Emergency in 23 states, five deaths in New York are from IlNewyorkese.
