A MASSIVE storm billed as the worst in decades left vast areas of the US paralysed by snow and ice yesterday. Hundreds of motorists were stranded overnight and airports and schools were forced to close.
Chicago received up to 17in of snow, with more still possible, and up to 18in fell on Missouri. More than a foot dropped on northern Indiana and southeast Kansas, while Oklahoma saw a similar snowfall.
In the northeast, parts of northern New York had a foot of snow, while New York City was covered in ice. Forecasters warned that ice accumulations could knock down some trees and power lines. Ice also could affect transport services.
In Chicago, the city shut down Lake Shore Drive for the first time in years, and hundreds of motorists were stranded for 12 hours after multiple car accidents on the road.
Raymond Orozco, chief of staff to Chicago mayor Richard Daley, said the efforts of crews to rescue motorists were “severely hampered” by snow drifts, high winds and white-out conditions.
Jenny Theroux (23) told how she was stranded from 4pm local time yesterday until 4am today while just 800ft from an exit.
“It was a very stressful experience towards the end, especially not knowing what’s going on,” Ms Theroux said after abandoning her car. “I’m just very confused as to why it all transpired this way.” More than 200,000 homes and businesses in Ohio began today without power, while in excess of 50,000 customers had no electricity in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, which were hit with mostly freezing rain and ice.
Federal Emergency Management Agency director Craig Fugate said the agency was on standby with generators, food, water and other supplies to help state and local authorities.
In Oklahoma, rescue crews and the National Guard searched overnight for any motorists who might be stranded along its major roads after white-outs shut down Tulsa and Oklahoma City.
Even Chicago – with its legions of snowploughs and its usual confidence in the face of winter storms that would surely crush other cities – bent under the storm’s weight.
“This is nothing to play with here,” said Edward Butler, a lake-front doorman peering through his building’s glass doors at snow blowing horizontally and in small cyclones down the street. “This is gale force wind.” The wind gusts were strong enough to start the building’s heavy revolving door spinning by itself.
Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport – a major US hub – cancelled all their flights for a day-and-a-half. Hundreds of flights were also cancelled at airports in Detroit, Milwaukee and Tulsa, Oklahoma. – (AP)