Frigid Arctic US storms kill at least 89 people so far
2 Min Read
At least nine states have reported deaths due to the severe cold weather conditions in the United States.
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An image of a dairy cow is seen on the back of a Kemps tractor trailer as it moves along the snowy eastbound lane of US Highway 20 during a blizzard near Holstein, Iowa, Saturday, January 13, 2024. (AP)
CBS News reported on Sunday that at least 89 people have died in the United States in recent days due to the severe cold conditions.
A surge of frigid Arctic air traveled southwards from Canada, causing temperatures to plummet, recording lows and covering full sections of the US in thick layers of ice and snow, forcing ten million people to face icy weather conditions.
For example, in Chicago, the wind chills led to a drop in temperature reaching -34 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile in Texas, Alabama, and Georgia the temperatures reached around -6.6 degrees Celcius last week.
CBS added that 16 have died in Oregon, three of whom were killed by a tree falling on their car, leading Oregon to declare a state of emergency after 45,000 people were left without power. In parallel, there are at least 25 dead in Tennesee according to the Department of Health.
Other states, including Illinois, Pennsylvania, Mississippi, Washington, New York, and New Jersey have also seen several deaths because of these weather conditions. In Kentucky, weather conditions caused a five-car crash, killing one person and prompting an investigation to confirm if the weather was the primary cause, similar to other investigations in several US states. Mississippi is one of the states that asked its residents to "drive only if necessary."
Molly McCollum, a meteorologist, explained that "the Arctic air will combine with moisture from the Gulf to create an icy mess from Oklahoma to Illinois," adding," Travel will be treacherous on Monday,"
These temperatures will severely affect the eastern half of the United States, reaching as far as northern Florida. As the temperatures are expected to rise by mid-week, some areas are going to face extreme flooding.
