Perilous
Times
Blizzards continue to spread chaos in US northeast, Canada
NEW YORK (AFP) - – The powerful blizzard that pummeled the US
northeast churned into Canada as swirling winds and snow kept much
of the region in chaos early Tuesday, with air travel and roadways
still struggling.
The storm that started early Sunday began to abate Monday as blue
skies finally reappeared, revealing a snow-and-ice encrusted
region, deserted highways, stranded cars and still stuttering
public transport.
Although the National Weather Service lifted its blizzard warning
for the US northeast, the storm funneled into Canada, dealing the
Atlantic coast a dose of the same snow and gale force winds.
More than 5,000 flights were canceled as winds whipping up to 90
miles (150 kilometers) per hour hit areas from North Carolina to
Maine. Officials said they may not unravel the colossal mess until
Friday, the start of another holiday weekend.
The fierce storm left hundreds of cities and towns, highways and
bridges, all but paralyzed under a shroud of icy white. Emergency
crews rescued hundreds of motorists from snow-draped roads, and
hundreds of passengers on one of New York City's seemingly
invincible subways endured a long cold night on a snow-stuck
train.
Related article: US snow storm has sports teams juggling travel
plans
The storm dumped some 32 inches (80 centimeters) of snow in parts
of New Jersey and New York City's Central Park was buried 20
inches (50 centimeters).
In the hard-hit New York metropolitan area, businesses, homeowners
and municipal services slowly got back on track and after almost
24 hours of being shut down, the three big area airports were
struggling to their feet.
La Guardia Airport was open by late afternoon, with John F.
Kennedy International Airport following shortly after, the Federal
Aviation Administration said. Newark International in New Jersey
was the last to reopen.
Even after reopening, huge delays were expected as airlines worked
their way through the aftershock of thousands of cancelled
flights.
Other airports in the region, including Boston and Philadelphia,
remained open throughout, but with on-and-off delays.
Ground transport was little better off.
The Amtrak rail network said it was resuming limited service
between New York and Boston after blizzard conditions halted
trains along the heavily used corridor for 13 hours.
But Amtrak warned passengers to "expect delays on travel
throughout the day."
New York commuter routes and bus services were crippled, while
roads made hazardous going for the few drivers who had actually
been able to escape their snow-clogged parking spaces.
In Brooklyn, cross-country skiers took over the middle of a major
road as children played in the deep snow.
In six states -- Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, North
Carolina, Rhode Island and Virginia -- governors called up a total
of 430 National Guard troops to help authorities get life back to
normal.
In New York, Mayor Michael Bloomberg came under fire for what
critics saw as a slow response to the well forecasted storm.
The commuter train line between the city and Long Island was
paralyzed, as were portions of the city bus and subway systems,
with ice and snow blocking tracks, and sometimes even collecting
inside underground stations.
Newspaper kiosks and fruit stands that open in the bitterest cold
and heaviest summer rains were shut. Some businesses, though, made
the extra effort.
"People are snowed in, so they'll be needing food. Some others
will be getting cabin fever and will want to come out," explained
David Chiong, owner of Cascabel Taqueria, which does eat-in and
take-outs of spicy Mexican food.
Roads and highways around Boston appeared nearly deserted as many
offices and stores closed for the storm.
Officials in eastern Canada said the blizzard was already dumping
heavy amounts of snow and forcing the cancellation of flights from
Fredericton and Moncton in New Brunswick. Some 40,000 homes lost
electricity in the region.
The weather service said gale-force winds will reduce visibility
to near zero in some areas.