STORM APOCALYPSE
‘Bomb cyclone’ death toll rises to 57 with more expected as tragic pics show victims of the ‘worst storm in a lifetime’
AT least 57 people have died in America's bone-chilling 'bomb cyclone' as the deadly storm continues to pummel the nation.
A number of drivers were reportedly found dead in their cars after being left stranded on snow-covered highways and interstates.
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Thousands of Americans are still without power as temperatures plunge to dangerous levels.
As of Monday night, the winter whiteout had killed at least 57 people across 12 states, NBC News reported.
The deaths took place in Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.
Of the 57 fatalities, 27 were recorded in New York's Erie County alone - directly linked to the blizzard - and where many roads have been left impassable.
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County Executive Mark Poloncarz said that many of the victims died from heart problems while shoveling or blowing snow.
Others were found dead in their cars, with at least 18 people having died in Buffalo, according to Mayor Byron Brown.
Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia told CNN: “Unfortunately, they are still recovering bodies.”
It comes as the mercury plunged to -53F in Sioux Falls, South Dakota with wind chill, according to the National Weather Service.
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Another four deaths have been reported in British Columbia, Canada.
VICTIMS NAMED
William "Romello" Clay was found dead after vanishing in the snowstorm on Friday, having left his home to go to the shops.
Officials also revealed 10 people were killed in Ohio, while six people died in crashes in Missouri, Kansas, and Kentucky.
Among the Ohio victims was Michigan teen Emmy Smith as well as pregnant mom-of-two Julie Roth.
Blake Rogers, a 22-year-old lineman in Ohio, was also tragically killed during an attempted line repair.
Erie County's Mark Poloncarz said that some drivers have been stuck in their cars for two days.
He said it is "not the end yet" and labelled the blizzard "the worst storm probably in our lifetime."
He added: “Some were found in cars, some were found on the street in snowbanks."
Ditjak Ilunga, from Maryland, was heading to Ontario to celebrate the holidays when he was caught up in the snowstorm in Buffalo.
He and his daughters spent hours stranded in their SUV before making the drastic decision to abandon the vehicle and try to head to a storm shelter.
Ilunga told the AP: “If I stay in this car I'm going to die here with my kids.”
He carried his six-year-old daughter Destiny on his back, while her sibling Cindy, 16, hauled their Pomeranian pooch to safety.
Cars were seen sitting on driveways and abandoned on roads blanketed by snow.
Meanwhile, 43 inches of snow was recorded at Buffalo Niagara airport on Sunday morning.
The airport is to remain closed entirely until 11am ET on December 27.
Buffalo has seen 92.7 inches of snow during the 2022-2023 season so far - just three inches shy of its all-time record.
'ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME'
The winter season is measured between July 1 and June 30, according to NWS officials.
Gusts of 30-40mph whipped snow into the air, making it extremely difficult for drivers to navigate the treacherous roads.
New York governor Kathy Hochul branded the monster weather event an “epic, once-in-a-lifetime” disaster.
She told reporters: “We have now surpassed the scale of that storm, in its intensity, the longevity, the ferocity of its winds.”
She warned that the damage caused by the storm is “devastating.”
Hochul added: “It is going to a war zone. The vehicles along the sides of the roads are shocking.”
At least 500 rescues have been completed by state police who have struggled amid the polar conditions.
Hochul revealed that one rescue involved delivering a baby, while elderly citizens were rushed to hospitals.
But, she said vehicles “cannot get through the conditions.”
Officials have warned that the plunging temperatures can cause blood pressure to rise and arteries to “constrict.”
John Burns, a senior who lives in Buffalo, told Reuters that he and his family were trapped indoors for 36 hours by the storm.
He said: “Nothing was going on for two days."
'APOCALYPTIC'
Lauren Wickert told The Telegraph: "It’s been apocalyptic, it’s been crazy."
“They have started plowing and we are tracking the map. But when they will reach us is still to be determined.”
The winter storm has caused widespread travel chaos across the nation.
More than 2,800 flights within, entering, or exiting the US were canceled by 10pm ET on Sunday, according to FlightAware.
Denver International saw the most cancelations, while Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta, Georgia was second.
And more than 100 flights at Baltimore/Washington airport have been canceled in the past 24 hours alone, according to WBAL.
It comes after more than 3,400 flights on Christmas Eve were canceled.
Temporary accommodation has been set up as part of efforts to help stranded and homeless Americans.
Locals in Louisville, Kentucky hunkered down in the 6,600-seater Broadbent Arena as temperatures plunged to a whopping 40 degrees below average.
The charity Another Way is handing out meals and blankets and providing medical care to those in need.
Local Treva Voughn told WHAS-TV: "I feel like this is a blessing for me.
"They went out of their way and I'm sure this costs a lot of money and a lot of care. A lot of love and care."
And, supervisor Sharon Allgeier added: "They can just find their own area to hunker down, you know, whatever they need to do to feel comfortable.”
Thousands of Americans were left without power but electricity is being restored.
At least 250,000 Americans were in the dark at around 8amET on Christmas morning, according to PowerOutage.US.
More than 29,000 residents in Maine are without electricity, while over 13,000 New Yorkers currently remain affected.
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The National Weather Service has issued a hard freeze warning for Georgians as temperatures could plunge to bone-chilling lows of 22F.
Homeowners have been urged to take action in order to prevent pipes from water pipes from bursting.
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