Winter Storm Batters Southern, Eastern U.S.

(MENAFN) A powerful winter weather system swept through eastern and southern regions of the US on Sunday, claiming at least six lives as it unleashed freezing rain, dense snowfall, and treacherous icy conditions. The severe storm forced the closure of airports and major roadways while cutting electricity to more than a million residents as it continued to strengthen.

Temperatures plunged well below the freezing mark across numerous states, based on reports from several media sources, intensifying hazardous travel and living conditions throughout the affected areas.

States including Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas have borne the brunt of the impact so far. Thick layers of ice have brought down power lines, triggered widespread electrical failures, and severely disrupted daily life in major metropolitan areas such as Atlanta, Houston, and Nashville. In response, the majority of businesses and school systems in these cities have suspended operations as a precautionary public safety step.

Data from the PowerOutagewebsite, which monitors outages nationwide across the United States, shows that Tennessee has experienced the most extensive power losses, with as many as 339,000 customers left without electricity by mid-afternoon Sunday.

Mississippi follows with nearly 180,000 people affected, while close to 150,000 customers in Louisiana remain without power. Texas and Georgia are each reporting almost 100,000 outages, as emergency response teams work nonstop in an effort to restore electricity as swiftly as possible.

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