Vehicles trapped under heavy snow in the streets of downtown Buffalo, New York state, 26/12/22 Photo: AFP/ Office of the New York state governor
A severe winter storm that has swept across North America has left the city of Buffalo, New York, looking like a war zone, the state governor has said.
On Monday the city's toll from the storm sat at 25 weather-related deaths, up from 13 on Sunday.
"This is a war with mother nature and she has been hitting us with everything she has" since Thursday, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul said.
Blizzard conditions, which stretched from Canada to the Mexican border, had killed at least 50 people nationwide.
The region around Buffalo, in upstate New York, had been worst affected.
Governor Hochul, a native of Buffalo, said: "It is (like) going to a war zone, and the vehicles along the sides of the roads are shocking."
She said residents were facing a "life-threatening situation", as many emergency vehicles were unable to reach worst-hit areas or got stuck in snow themselves.
One family with young children - aged 2 to 6 - had to wait for 11 hours before being rescued in the early hours of Christmas Day.
"I was basically just hopeless," the father, Zila Santiago, told CBS News. He said he had managed to stay warm by keeping the engine running and kept distress at bay by playing games with the children.
More victims were expected to be discovered once melting snowdrifts revealed trapped vehicles and allowed access to remote homes.
A seaside house covered in ice in Buffalo city, New York state 26/12/22. Photo: AFP/ Anadolu Agency - Fatih Aktas
The "bomb cyclone" winter storm - which occured when atmospheric pressure plummets, causing heavy snow and winds - had disrupted travel across the US.
Forecasters said it would ease off in the next few days, but the advice remained to avoid travel unless essential.
Over the weekend an estimated 250,000 homes and businesses experienced blackouts - although power had been steadily restored.
Storm-related deaths were also reported in Vermont, Ohio, Missouri, Wisconsin, Kansas, and Colorado. South Florida's temperatures dropped so low that iguanas froze and fell from trees.
The western US state of Montana was the worst hit by the cold, with temperatures dropping to -45C.
In Canada, the provinces of Ontario and Quebec were bearing the brunt of the storm.
Four fatalities occurred when a bus rolled over on an icy road near the town of Merritt, in the western province of British Columbia.
-BBC
