The storm that hit the United States and Canada killed 56 people. As the storm begins to calm down, exceptional images show us the consequences on the affected regions.
By AFP
Lhe United States and Canada were slowly emerging from the historic storm on Wednesday, which killed at least 56 people there. However, the situation is still far from being back to normal in the Buffalo region and in American airports.
New York’s Erie County, home to the city of Buffalo near the border with Canada, alone accounts for 34 of the nation’s at least 56 storm-related deaths, according to a new balance sheet revealed on Wednesday. People have been found dead in their cars or on the streets, some after waiting for hours for rescue.
“Possible flooding”
Weather conditions improved on Wednesday, with rising temperatures. But this does not mean that the population is out of danger, according to the authorities. “As temperatures warm, we expect snow melt and possible flooding from rapid melting,” Erie County official Mark Poloncarz warned.
The driving ban remained in effect Wednesday in Buffalo. And the National Guard will go door to door in areas where power has not yet been restored, to make sure residents are safe, the official tweeted.
At airports, especially in Denver, Chicago and Baltimore, disruptions continued. In question: the cancellations of flights in series around the Christmas weekend. Most airlines have resumed their flight schedule, except Southwest Airlines. Of the approximately 2,800 flights canceled Wednesday morning, more than 2,500 were operated by Southwest, according to FlightAware.
On CNN, the vice-president of the Southwest Pilots Association, Mike Santoro, expressed his frustration, explaining in particular that the company had long suffered from a “largely outdated” computer system, making the organization of flights complicated.
