Massive winter storm claims 22 lives, affecting nearly 250 million people across US

New York: Deadly winter storm continues to unleash mayhem in parts of the United States, that has left hundreds of thousands of people across the US were without power Christmas Eve.

The winter storm that tore down power lines with destructive winds and heavy snow and dipped temperature dangerously low in various parts.

Nearly 250 million are affected, and at least 22 deaths have been linked to the storm that extends more than 2,000 miles (3,200km) from Quebec to Texas.

The “bomb cyclone” storm, one of the most powerful in decades, also forced the cancellation of more than 3,000 US flights on Saturday, stranding thousands of travellers who were making last-minute dashes for Christmas.

As per officials, the storm still is pummeling parts of the Upper Midwest and interior Northeast with heavy snow and blizzard conditions.

The western US state of Montana is the worst hit by the cold, with temperatures dropping to -50F (-45C).

States of emergency have been declared from South Dakota to New York.

“This is really a very serious weather alert,” President Joe Biden warned Thursday. “Please take this storm extremely seriously.”

“We think your efforts at conserving electricity helped us get through the morning peak,” Bryson said and urged customers to continue those efforts “as we go into Christmas Day,” due to the forecasted cold temperatures.

The National Weather Service said its map of existing or impending meteorological hazards “depicts one of the greatest extents of winter weather warnings and advisories ever”.

Governors in Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, Oklahoma, West Virginia and Wyoming declared states of emergency. In Indiana, Colorado and Missouri, governors activated the National Guard.

The storm, now in its third straight day, was nearly unprecedented in its scope, stretching from the Great Lakes near Canada to the Rio Grande along the border with Mexico. The plummeting temperatures brought the coldest Christmas Eve on record to some parts of the country, including in Washington, DC.