A deadly winter storm in western New York has claimed the lives of at least 35 people at the time of this report, authorities confirmed.
Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said Tuesday morning that seven additional deaths brought the death toll to 35, according to WBEN radio.
Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said Monday afternoon that two more people had died from the blizzard, bringing the total known death toll to 27. The Niagara County Sheriff’s Office said another A 27-year-old man had died of carbon monoxide poisoning after heavy snow covered his residence’s outdoor furnace, causing the fatal gas to enter.
Earlier, Brown said police had recovered the bodies of 18 people in the city.
“This has been a very difficult and dangerous storm,” he said. “It’s been described as a once-in-a-generation storm and everything that’s been forecast we’ve gotten in the city of Buffalo and then some.”
AT LEAST 17 KILLED, 93 INJURED BY HEAVY SNOW IN JAPAN
Vehicles move down a snow-covered street in Buffalo, New York on December 26, 2022. – Emergency crews in New York scrambled on December 26, 2022 to rescue stranded residents of what authorities called the “blizzard of the century”. , a relentless storm that has killed at least 25 people in the state and is wreaking havoc on holiday travel across the United States. (Photo by Joed Viera/AFP) (Photo by JOED VIERA/AFP via Getty Images)
(JOED VIERA/AFP via Getty Images)
National Grid technicians work in Buffalo, New York, on December 26, 2022. – On December 26, 2022, emergency crews in New York scrambled to rescue stranded residents of what authorities called the ” blizzard of the century,” a relentless storm that has killed at least 25 people in the state and is wreaking havoc on holiday travel across the United States. (Photo by Joed Viera/AFP) (Photo by JOED VIERA/AFP via Getty Images)
(JOED VIERA/AFP via Getty Images)
The deadly blizzard dumped more than five to six feet of snow in Erie County, burying homes and roads in Watertown, Hamburg and Buffalo, New York, FOX Weather reported. The freezing weather knocked out power for tens of thousands of customers in western New York. As of Tuesday morning, National Grid said power service had been restored to 93,600 of its 104,600 customers in the region, with more than 2,850 restoration experts working to restore power.
Of the 27 confirmed deaths, Poloncarz said three were due to the EMS delay; 14 people were found dead outside; three suffered cardiac events while shoveling or blowing snow; four perished from lack of heat; and three died in a vehicle.
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TOPSHOT – A family walks past Cameron’s 24-hour store in Buffalo, New York on December 26, 2022. – Emergency crews in New York rushed on December 26, 2022 to rescue abandoned residents from what what authorities called the “blizzard of the century.” , a relentless storm that has killed at least 25 people in the state and is wreaking havoc on holiday travel across the United States. (Photo by Joed Viera/AFP) (Photo by JOED VIERA/AFP via Getty Images)
(JOED VIERA/AFP via Getty Images)
A resident leaves a local store in Buffalo, New York on December 26, 2022, as many major grocery stores remained closed. – Emergency crews in New York scrambled December 26, 2022 to rescue stranded residents from what authorities called the “blizzard of the century,” a relentless storm that has killed at least 25 people in the state and is causing chaos on US Christmas travel. (Photo by Joed Viera/AFP) (Photo by JOED VIERA/AFP via Getty Images)
(JOED VIERA/AFP via Getty Images)
A travel ban is in effect in the City of Buffalo to keep roads clear for emergency personnel and for the protection of residents.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced Monday night that President Biden has approved her request to declare a federal emergency in response to the storm.
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“I spoke with President Biden, who has agreed to expeditiously approve our Federal Emergency Declaration, which will be crucial in assisting our recovery efforts from this historic storm, and I thank our congressional delegation for helping secure this assistance,” Hochul said.
“While we continue to do everything we can to help Western New York recover and look forward to federal assistance, I want everyone in the affected areas to continue to stay off the roads and check on their loved ones and neighbors,” he added.
The White House offered “the full force of the federal government in support of the people of New York as the state deals with the impacts of a historic winter storm,” according to a reading of the president’s call with Hochul on Monday.
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The emergency declaration authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate disaster relief efforts.
Fox News’ Ronn Blitzer contributed to this report.
