21 dead as US winter storm intensifies

HOUSTON: A historic winter storm has killed at least 21 people, left millions of Texans without power and spun killer tornadoes into the United States’ Southeast yesterday.

Brutal cold has engulfed vast swathes of the US, closing Covid19 inoculation centres and hindering vaccine supplies. It is not expected to ease until the weekend.

Officials in Texas drew criticism as the state energy grid repeatedly failed, forcing rolling blackouts. Freezing weather stilled wind turbines in west Texas, making it impossible for energy companies to meet demand.

At least 21 people have died in Texas, Louisiana, Kentucky and Missouri, including four killed in a house fire in Sugar Land, Texas, where the power was out, police and local media said.

President Joe Biden assured the governors of hardhit states the federal government was ready to offer any emergency resources needed.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said at a noon (local time) news conference that 1.3 million people in his city remained without power. Businesses that still have power have been asked to act as warming centres.

‘‘It’s critically, critically important to get the power restored as quickly as possible,’’ Turner said.

Officials in south Texas warned citizens to not bring grills or propane heaters indoors. Hospitals had treated people for carbon monoxide poisoning as they tried to heat icy homes.

Turner said vaccination centres in Houston would remain closed today and probably tomorrow. The Texas Department of State Health Services said vaccine shipments around the state would be delayed.

‘‘Noone wants to put vaccine at risk by attempting to deliver it in dangerous conditions,’’ department spokesman Douglas Loveday said, adding that ‘‘it is not safe for people to be out across much of Texas’’.

In neighbouring New Mexico, a state spokesman said there were delays in vaccine shipments.

Treacherous weather is expected to grip much of the US until Saturday. Up to 10cm of snow is predicted from the southern plains into the northeast. An Arctic air mass pushed temperatures to historic lows yesterday. In Lincoln, Nebraska, a reading of 35degC yesterday shattered a record set in 1978 of 27degC; in typically toasty DallasFort Worth, 17degC broke a record set in 1903 of 11degC.

In the southeast, a lowpressure system that developed along the Arctic front created fuel for storms that unleashed at least four tornadoes.

The fourth and most severe left three dead and flattened homes as it swept through North Carolina’s coastal Brunswick County.