US winter storm leaves at least 16 dead

A severe winter storm in the United States has claimed the lives of at least 16 people in the eastern half of the country.

The deaths were caused by difficult traffic conditions mostly in Michigan, Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois.

Authorities also said a woman, who suffered from Alzheimer, froze to death after she wandered away from her rural New York home and a worker died after a massive pile of salt fell on him.

The blizzard-like conditions, which left two feet of snow in some places, led to the cancelations of about 1,900 flights across the country.

According to forecasters, temperatures were falling to well below freezing and wind chill readings could hit minus 23 Celsius.

Emergency officials warned that anybody who spends more than a few minutes outdoors would start to suffer from frostbite.

New York and New Jersey governors have declared states of emergency and asked everyone to stay at home. Hundreds of schools were closed in Boston and New York.

“This is nothing to be trifled with. People should seriously consider staying in their homes,” New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said.

The heaviest snow fell in Boxford in the state of Massachusetts, which received over two feet of snow.

The township of Lakewood in New Jersey, New York’s Central Park, and Philadelphia got 10, 6, and more than 6 inches of snow, respectively.

Meanwhile, officials are warning against and preparing for another arctic storm within the next few days which could be even worse than the current one.