Winter storm hits US, leaving six dead, widespread disruption

(MENAFN) A powerful winter storm swept through the eastern and southern United States on Sunday, leaving at least six people dead and causing widespread disruption with freezing rain, heavy snowfall, and icy roads. The extreme weather forced airport and highway closures while cutting power to over a million residents as conditions worsened.

Temperatures have dropped below freezing in numerous states, as reported by multiple sources. The hardest-hit areas include Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas, where ice accumulation has damaged power lines, triggered blackouts, and brought major urban centers such as Atlanta, Houston, and Nashville to a near standstill. Most schools and businesses have closed as a precautionary measure to protect public safety.

As stated by reports from a US power outage tracking website, Tennessee experienced the largest number of outages, leaving roughly 339,000 customers without electricity by mid-afternoon Sunday. Mississippi reported nearly 180,000 affected residents, while Louisiana faced almost 150,000 power losses. Texas and Georgia each saw close to 100,000 customers in the dark, with emergency teams working continuously to restore electricity.

The storm also battered parts of the Midwest, including Ohio, where cities such as Cincinnati and Columbus have received between 6 to 10 inches (15 to 25 centimeters) of snow. Southwestern cities Dayton and Springfield have seen nearly a foot (30 centimeters) of accumulation, prompting officials to urge people to avoid roads and remain indoors.

"It is really, really dangerous out there," said Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther in a video statement. "You should be at home unless there is an absolute emergency."

Several other states reported heavy snowfall, including Arkansas (8 inches/20 centimeters), Illinois (11 inches/28 centimeters), Indiana (13 inches/33 centimeters), Kansas (12 inches/30 centimeters), Missouri (7 inches/18 centimeters), and Oklahoma (6 inches/15 centimeters). In parts of North Texas, snow reached up to 5 inches (13 centimeters), according to weather forecasts.

MENAFN26012026000045017640ID1110649128