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Five die in United States east coast’s snowstorm

By Babs Odukoya
21 December 2009   |   9:24 pm
DUMPING up to 40cm of snow in some areas, snarling up travel and cutting power supplies, a winter storm is gripping the eastern parts of United States U.S.) , claiming five lives. Agency reports also indicated that forecasters have equally warned of 35mph (56km/h) winds in the incident that may be the worst snowstorm in a decade.

Associated Press claimed that the 16in which fell at Reagan National Airport outside Washington was the most ever recorded on a single December day, adding that the storm system is moving north toward New York and Boston.

It was also predicted that parts of Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts could see more than 16in by yesterday night while as many as 10in might land on New York City, forecasters said.

The U.S. National Weather Service has also warned that if people must travel, they should have a winter survival kit with them.

Reagan airport was shut down for the night, most flights from Baltimore were cancelled and there were long delays for passengers using Philadelphia and New York.

Roads have been badly affected, too, with one transport official calling it a very serious storm.

As Washington’s Union Station filled with travellers, some of them sprawled out on the floor, the passenger train service, Amtrak, said delays between Washington and Boston were averaging between 30 and 60 minutes. At least two trains to Boston apparently departed more than four hours late.

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