-16-
HEAVY SNOWSTORMS RAVAGING THE EAST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES
Aixa Ortega,
New York City and its surroundings are suffering one of the most important snowfalls of the season, with vast areas of the state in a state of emergency and JFK and La Guardia airports with their operations suspended.
Although no deaths were reported in New York and its surroundings, in other areas of the country where the storm affected with less intensity, official sources reported the death of six people.
"This is a very, very severe storm, with strong winds and low temperatures," said New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, who provided a first report on the impact of the storm at a press conference.
The storm began to punish the early morning of January the 5th to areas of Long Island, located along the Atlantic coast, and affected with less intensity into the interior of the state.
The snow began to fall with intensity in Manhattan from 7.30 am local time (12.30 GMT), when many New Yorkers began the drive to their places of work, and ended about eight hours later.
The Governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, declared a state of emergency in several areas of the state, including the city of New York, shortly after the storm began to punish the region.
This measure allows state authorities to adopt decisions that precede those of local administrations, as well as having special powers to fight against the storm without the need for legislative approval.
"It's not a normal snowstorm, it's a snow storm plus high-speed winds, which creates a serious situation," Cuomo said at a press conference.
According to official data, points such as Central Park in Manhattan dropped about 20 centimeters of snow until early afternoon, while in Suffolk County, Long Island, the most exposed area, fell up to 35 centimeters of snow.