Nearly 100 dead in US winter storms as snow and ice hit multiple states | US News

Dozens of people have now died in winter storms across the US following days of freezing conditions.

At least 95 deaths have been linked to the weather over the past week, with many killed by hypothermia or car crashes, according to US media.

Weather warnings in place on Monday cover areas where a total of 57 million people live, Sky’s US partner NBC News reported.

With snow and ice coating many regions, 27 people have died in Tennessee alone, with Arkansas, Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas among the other states affected.

The victims include three people – among them a pregnant woman – who were fatally electrocuted after slipping on ice next to a power line that fell on a car in Portland, Oregon.

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‘I lost two of my children in one day’

In Lewisburg, Tennessee, a 25-year-old man was found dead on the floor of a mobile home after his electric heater overturned and switched off.

Bob Johnson, chief deputy for the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, told reporters: “There was ice on the walls in there.”

A fishing boat that had run aground at Trundy Beach on Saturday morning, Jan. 13, 2024, in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. A salvage business owner says the fishing trawler that wrecked off the Maine coast during a powerful storm, requiring a harrowing early-morning rescue, is a total loss. The Tara Lynn II crashed into the rocks early Saturday off Trundy Point, a few miles south of the Portland Head Light. (Derek Davis/Portland Press Herald via AP)
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A fishing boat in Maine after it was wrecked during a storm. Pic: Derek Davis/Portland Press Herald via AP

The White House is covered in snow in Washington, D.C., U.S. January 19, 2024. REUTERS/Ken Cedeno
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The White House covered in snow

Multiple crashes on the roads have also been reported in many states.

The storms have further hit sporting events, as well as voting by Republicans and Democrats to choose their candidates for the 2024 presidential election.

A state of emergency was declared in the state of Oregon on Friday – and remains in place – with officials warning of the threat of flooding, high winds, landslides and power cuts.

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More than 600,000 residents in Memphis have been ordered to boil their tap water before use for the last four days after thousands of pipes burst during sub-freezing temperatures.

Officials warned there is a risk that low pressure in the system, coupled with water main leaks, could allow harmful bacteria to contaminate supplies.

People walk through Times Square as the snow falls during a winter storm in New York City, U.S., January 19, 2024. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid
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Snow falls in New York’s Times Square

Jan 15, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; A general overall aerial view of a snow-covered Highmark Stadium during a 2024 AFC wild card game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Buffalo Bills. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
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Highmark Stadium in New York. Pic: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports/Reuters

More than 10 million households in Tennessee, which has been blanketed in several inches of snow, have also been urged to conserve energy to avoid rolling blackouts.

Meanwhile, in Mississippi, officials warned locals they risked “frostbite and hypothermia” if they stayed outside for too long.

Connor Hornibrook, center right, and his dog Ellie enjoy the fresh snow along with Annette Fierro, of and her dog Twyla at Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia, Friday, Jan. 19, 2024. (Tyger Williams/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)
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Dog walkers in Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia. Pic: Tyger Williams/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP

Even Los Angeles, California, has been drenched by heavy rain in recent days, with officials issuing an evacuation order in nearby Topanga Canyon amid fears of potential muddy landslides.

Freezing conditions are forecast to continue in parts of the South and Midwest until at least Wednesday.

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