A powerful blizzard paralyzes the east coast of the United States | International

After covering New York with a thick blanket of snow, the fourth storm to hit the East Coast of the United States this month is approaching Boston and the rest of New England. It has left behind paralyzed cities, basic services such as the metro or commuter trains interrupted in numerous sections and thousands of canceled flights. In the less traveled streets of big cities like New York, the road did not even show traces of ruts first thing in the morning: everything was white, due to the copiousness of the snowfall, with a height of between 15 and 30 centimeters depending on the zones. Two weeks ago, another severe winter storm swept across the Northeast coastline, reaching Canada.

As a direct result of labor shortages in many sectors of the US economy, there are not enough drivers for snowplows in some states affected by the storm, such as Massachusetts and New Jersey. On the streets of New York, where snow removal from sidewalks is the direct responsibility of building managers and maintainers, a thick layer of white was still noticeable in the early hours of the morning, while snow continued to fall heavily. The National Weather Service has warned that road travel in some areas will be “virtually impossible” while it continues to snow and warned of possible outages in the power grid. The blizzard, with strong winds that increase the thermal sensation of cold and that has left up to 60 centimeters of snow in rural areas, is one of the strongest in recent decades.

The virtual interruption of road traffic, except on the main avenues to facilitate the passage of emergency vehicles, has enveloped New York in a bubble of silence, that asset so precious and so scarce in the city of skyscrapers. The authorities have urged citizens to stay at home except for a major cause. “It’s a good day to stay home if you’re not forced to go out,” New York Mayor Eric Adams tweeted with a video recorded in the Bronx. The governors of New York, New Jersey, Maryland and Massachusetts have issued emergency declarations in the face of the storm.

More than 5,000 flights had been canceled by early Saturday morning, most at Boston airports and the three serving New York City. Another 8,000 have experienced delays. The National Weather Service has issued flood warnings for coastal areas and Amtrak, the state rail network, has canceled intercity rail service for much of the affected region.

The fourth winter storm of the year is expected to last 24 hours, until seven in the afternoon this Saturday. In parts of New England, the blizzard could reach “historic dimensions,” according to weather advisories. “This is going to be a very big storm, probably one of the biggest in recent years. Conditions on the ground are expected to make travel nearly impossible, and we are urging everyone, to the extent possible, to stay home tonight. [por la del viernes] and tomorrow,” Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker said on Friday, quoted by the Reuters agency.

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