US snowstorm: East coast wakes up to mammoth snowfall

 This driver was stuck in a snow drift in Philadelphia early on Saturday

This driver was stuck in a snow drift in Philadelphia early on Saturday

Parts of the eastern United States have woken up to 46cm (18 inches) of snow after a huge blizzard swept across the region.

Heavy snow began falling on Friday across more than 20 states, affecting some 85 million people.

In Kentucky, where the heaviest snowfall was recorded, thousands of drivers were left stranded in a 35-mile (56km) traffic jam.

At least nine people have died and emergencies declared in 10 states.

Tens of thousands of homes are without power.

In Kentucky, a huge traffic jam has started to clear in the past few hours, after thousands of drivers found themselves stranded on Interstate 75 overnight by heavy snow and a number of accidents.

The Red Cross erected shelters along the highway and Kentucky State Police tweeted that officers were taking water, fuel and snacks to the motorists, some of whom had been stuck for more than 12 hours.

 This Secret Service officer stationed outside the White House took all precautions against the snow

This Secret Service officer stationed outside the White House took all precautions against the snow

Further north, on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, a number of other vehicles have been stuck in snow for at least 12 hours after the road closed. One university basketball team that was stranded said they were running out of leftover pizza and getting hungry.

The US federal government closed down at noon on Friday. President Obama is remaining at the White House.

The National Weather Service (NWS) warned that the worst of the snow would fall in the Washington area from the early hours of Saturday to the early afternoon, with winds of more than 50mph (80kph).

In a warning at 02:17 (07:17 GMT), the NWS tweeted that an “intense snow band” was moving through the area. “Expect rapid accumulations and near-whiteout conditions,” it warned.

The most intense parts of the snowstorm are heading north towards New York state on Saturday.

Residents in the capital and surrounding suburbs in Virginia and Maryland have been warned the snowfall could eclipse the district’s record of 28in that fell during a two-day period in 1922.

The BBC’s Laura Bicker, in Washington DC, says it feels as though the city is in hiding – the streets are empty and restaurants, bars and supermarkets remain closed.

Residents have been told to find a safe place and stay there until the storm has passed.

BBC

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