Seven dead in Buffalo as winter storm freezes eastern US on Christmas Day

At least 30 people have died in US weather-related incidents, according to an NBC News tally, since a deep freeze extended its grip over most of the nation coupled with snow, ice, and howling winds from a storm that roared out of the Great Lakes region last week.

CNN has reported a total of 26 weather fatalities.

Much of the toll has centred in and around Buffalo at the edge of Lake Erie in western New York, where a driving ban remained in effect as heavy "lake-effect" snow -- the result of cold air moving over warmer lake waters -- and numbing cold continued through the holiday weekend.

Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said the death toll from the storm had more than doubled to seven from three overnight in the Buffalo region. The four reported dead on Sunday morning included some found in cars and some in snow banks, Poloncarz said, adding that the death count might still rise.

Hundreds of Erie County motorists were stranded in their vehicles over the weekend, with National Guard troops called in to help with rescues, Poloncarz said.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul told reporters on Sunday that the Biden administration had agreed to support her request for a federal disaster declaration.

Some 200 National Guard troops were mobilized in western New York, providing relief to police and fire crews, conducting wellness checks, and bringing supplies to shelters, with more on the way, Hochul said.

Two days of white-out conditions in western New York had made rescue efforts nearly impossible at times, officials said.

The storm was moving east on Sunday after knocking out power to millions late last week and forcing thousands of commercial flight cancellations during the busy holiday travel period.

Reuters