A winter storm raging over the Midwestern United States on Tuesday reportedly left two dozen people dead and hundreds of thousands without power, as ice toppled trees and power lines and sent cars skidding off slick roads.
Most of the fatalities were reported in Oklahoma, where authorities also said more than 600 000 people were without power. Electric company officials said it could take a week before power is fully restored.
The storm has claimed at least 23 lives, CNN reported.
But there was some good news as temperatures climbed above freezing during the night.
US President George Bush approved a request for an emergency declaration that frees up federal resources to help respond to the storm.
Huge generators and drinking water were sent to Oklahoma, and blankets, cots and emergency food supplies were to be sent on Tuesday.
In Missouri, more than 100 000 people were without power, authorities said.
Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska and Illinois were also under storm warnings.
”An extended area of winter storm and ice-storm warnings … as well as freezing rain advisories … continue to be in effect from the panhandle of Texas across the central plains into the lower great lakes region,” the National Weather Service said. — AFP
