The United States, devastated in recent days by a ferocious snowstorm that left at least 48 dead in nine states, has suffered other deadly storms in the past 30 years:

-From 13 to 19 February 2021a cold wave hit the United States from the east coast to the west coast, passing through Texas and Louisiana to the south, regions with generally mild temperatures.

The severe cold has claimed the lives of at least 70 people in the country, according to US media, and millions of homes have been left without electricity.

The cold snap also killed at least six people in northern Mexico.

Flights cancelled

-From 22 to 24 January 2016Blizzard Jonas, nicknamed “Snowzilla”, hit the east coast of the United States and especially New York, killing at least 33 people.

More than 11,000 flights have been cancelled.

New York City had the second heaviest snowfall in its history, with more than 27 inches falling on Central Park, while Dulles International Airport outside Washington was buried under 22 inches of snow.

-In mid-January 2007, A cold spell accompanied by freezing rain and snow caused 42 deaths in car accidents in Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Iowa, Michigan, New York and Maine in just a few days.

-From 7 to 9 January 1996a snowstorm caused several dozen deaths on the east coast of the United States, most in traffic accidents.

The storm, dubbed “Blizzard 1996” by the media, was followed by another a few days later, followed by flooding.

According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the “1996 Blizzard” caused 154 direct and indirect deaths in January of that year.

Oriental Coast

-On 13 and 14 March 1993the so-called “storm of the century” claimed 270 lives in the United States, according to the NWS.

Added to this are the 48 missing aboard two merchant ships sunk: a Liberian off Nova Scotia (Canada) and another Honduran off Florida.

The states of Pennsylvania, Florida, New York, North Carolina and Alabama were hardest hit by the storm, which paralyzed the US East Coast for nearly 48 hours. There were also five deaths in Canada, three in Cuba and five in international waters off Florida.

Florida, on the other hand, had 50 tornadoes, nearly 30-foot waves on the coast and 4 feet of snow in some counties.

Snow and cold have also reached the “deep south”: 42 cm of snow fell in Alabama and the thermometer showed -16 degrees.

Many people, usually elderly people, died from the cold, aggravated by a freezing blizzard. Others died of heart attacks while trying to clear snow and ice in front of their homes.

Source: AFP

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