Status: 04.01.2022 7:51 a.m.
A heavy snowstorm hit several regions on the US east coast and partially paralyzed public life there. More than eight inches of fresh snow fell in Washington. In the state of Virginia, 400,000 households are without electricity.
A winter storm led to massive power outages and traffic delays on the east coast of the USA. The capital Washington and the neighboring states of Virginia and Maryland are particularly hard hit.
Virginia: Around 400,000 households without electricity
The storm led to a massive power outage in the state of Virginia. Around 400,000 households are affected. Local company Dominion warned customers that in some areas it could take “several days” to restore power. Because of the heavy, damp snow, trees could fall and branches could break, Dominion warned.
Power outages affected 67,000 households in the state of Maryland. Trees fell over under the snow load and fell on power lines.
Snowstorm on the US east coast causes power outages and traffic delays
daily news 07:00 a.m., 4.1.2022
Lots of snow in Washington
In the US capital Washington fell 23 centimeters of snow on Monday. The bus traffic was discontinued. Schools, federal authorities and corona test centers remained closed. There were hardly any cars in the city. Back roads were still uncleared hours after the last snowfall.
Numerous flights were canceled at the capital’s airports. According to the website Flightaware.com, more than 230 flights and thus more than half of all planned connections have been canceled at the Ronald Reagan domestic airport. Nationwide, more than 2,360 flights were canceled in the United States on Monday.
There has been chaos in US air traffic for days. In addition to the bad weather in many places, this is also due to the rapid spread of the omicron variant of the corona virus. Many airlines are currently plagued by personnel problems because employees are in quarantine due to a corona infection or contact with infected people.
No starting permit for Biden
President Joe Biden was also hit by the winter storm. Due to heavy snowfall, the Air Force One presidential plane was initially unable to take off. Biden, who was returning from a few days’ vacation in his home state of Delaware, had to wait half an hour in the plane at Andrews Air Force Base near Washington until the thick blanket of snow had been cleared away.