Icequake paralyzes half of America, leaves 30 dead and thousands of flights cancelled

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu) - The United States is currently reeling from severe cold, blizzards, and ice quakes. A powerful winter storm struck the northeastern part of the country on Monday, wreaking havoc and claiming at least 30 lives so far. The final leg of the storm worsened the situation with heavy snowfall and freezing rain in the southern states.

Millions of people were forced to live in darkness and cold.

The storm caused more than a foot of snow in an area of about 2,100 kilometers from Arkansas to New England. This had a direct impact on road traffic, air services and public life. Roads were closed in many states, schools had to be declared closed and flights were cancelled. According to poweroutage.com, till Monday afternoon, power supply to more than 7.5 lakh houses and establishments was disrupted, due to which people were left shivering in the severe cold.

According to the National Weather Service, areas north of Pittsburgh received up to 20 inches of snow, with temperatures dropping to minus 31 degrees Celsius in many areas. Officials have confirmed at least 25 deaths so far directly linked to the storm.

Mississippi faces its worst snowstorm in 30 years

Parts of Mississippi are facing their worst snowstorm since 1994. The severity of the situation has prompted the University of Mississippi to cancel classes at its Oxford campus for the entire week.

Flight services have been disrupted. The storm has also had a major impact on air traffic. According to flight tracking website FlightAware.com, more than 8,000 flights in the US were either cancelled or delayed on Monday. According to aviation analysis company Cirium, about 45 percent of the country's flights had to be cancelled on Sunday. According to experts, this is the first time such a large number of flights have been cancelled since the Corona epidemic.