Blizzard Shuts Down US Northeast | WPN World People News

The northeastern U.S., including the cities of New York and Boston, is all but shut down as a ferocious blizzard blankets the region.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Saturday the city had "avoided the worst," receiving only about 30 centimeters of snow. He asked drivers to continue to stay off the roads, adding that he expected all city streets to be plowed by the end of the day.

Wind gusts of well over 100 kilometers per hour blew through the region, with 60 centimeters of snow predicted for much of the area. Boston could get 75 centimeters of snow or more by the time the storm moves out to sea later Saturday.

Hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses have lost power. Airlines have canceled about 5,000 flights, and no trains are being allowed in or out of Boston and New York. The streets are quiet, with driving bans and other restrictions in place for much of the region. The National Weather Service says travel is perilous if not impossible.

The governors of New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Maine have declared states of emergency.

The winter storm comes with the states of New York and New Jersey still not fully recovered from October's superstorm Sandy.

New York's mayor offered the city's resources to help areas most affected by the storm, saying "when we were in trouble the country came to our aid, and we want to make sure we do the same."

Forecasters say this new storm could rival the 1978 blizzard that buried Boston under 70 centimeters of snow and crippled New England for days.

Source: Voice of America