Millones de residentes, dueños de negocios y trabajadores salieron de sus casas el domingo luego de una enorme tormenta de nieve que paralizó a Washington, Nueva York y otras ciudades del noreste de Estados Unidos y provocó la muerte de al menos 19 personas en varios estados.
Fotos Reuters
Un hombre intenta sacar su auto debajo de la nieve en Falls Church, Virginia, luego de una tormenta que azotó a la Costa Este de Estados Unidos. 23 de enero, 2016. Millones de residentes, dueños de negocios y trabajadores salieron de sus casas el domingo luego de una enorme tormenta de nieve que paralizó a Washington, Nueva York y otras ciudades del noreste de Estados Unidos y provocó la muerte de al menos 19 personas en varios estados. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
Road crews plow Route 33 after a winter storm in Monmouth County, New Jersey, January 24, 2016. REUTERS/Dominick Reuter
A town emergency worker inspects the breakwater after a winter storm in Manasquan, New Jersey, January 24, 2016. A morning high tide surge of 2 feet followed snowfall of about 2 feet in the first major storm of the season. REUTERS/Dominick Reuter
A woman takes pictures along Riverside Drive after a winter storm in Manasquan, New Jersey, January 24, 2016. A morning high tide surge of 2 feet followed snowfall of about 2 feet in the first major storm of the season. REUTERS/Dominick Reuter
Tree crews navigate floodwaters on Fisk Avenue after a winter storm in Manasquan, New Jersey, January 24, 2016. A morning high tide surge of 2 feet followed snowfall of about 2 feet in the first major storm of the season. REUTERS/Dominick Reuter
Gulls fly among the breaking surf after a winter storm in Manasquan, New Jersey, January 24, 2016. A morning high tide surge of 2 feet followed snowfall of about 2 feet in the first major storm of the season. REUTERS/Dominick Reuter
Floodwaters surround a fence after a winter storm in Manasquan, New Jersey, January 24, 2016. A morning high tide surge of 2 feet followed snowfall of about 2 feet in the first major storm of the season. REUTERS/Dominick Reuter
Tree crews navigate floodwaters on Fisk Avenue after a winter storm in Manasquan, New Jersey, January 24, 2016. A morning high tide surge of 2 feet followed snowfall of about 2 feet in the first major storm of the season. REUTERS/Dominick Reuter
Floodwaters cover Brielle Road after a winter storm in Manasquan, New Jersey, January 24, 2016. A morning high tide surge of 2 feet followed snowfall of about 2 feet in the first major storm of the season. REUTERS/Dominick Reuter
Floodwaters cover Green Avenue after a winter storm in Manasquan, New Jersey, January 24, 2016. A morning high tide surge of 2 feet followed snowfall of about 2 feet in the first major storm of the season. REUTERS/Dominick Reuter
A police emergency vehicle drives past a car on Fairmount Avenue as high tides flood neighborhood streets after a snowstorm struck the U.S. East Coast, in Atlantic City, New Jersey January 24, 2016. Tides higher than those caused by Superstorm Sandy three years ago caused major flooding along the Jersey Shore and Delaware coast and set records in Cape May, New Jersey, and Lewes, Delaware, said NWS meteorologist Patrick O’Hara. REUTERS/Tom Mihalek
A truck drives through deep water on Fairmount Avenue as high tides inundate the neighborhoods after a powerful snowstorm struck the U.S. East Coast, in Atlantic City, New Jersey January 24, 2016. Tides higher than those caused by Superstorm Sandy three years ago caused major flooding along the Jersey Shore and Delaware coast and set records in Cape May, New Jersey, and Lewes, Delaware, said NWS meteorologist Patrick O’Hara. REUTERS/Tom Mihalek
A car is stranded on Fairmount Avenue as high tides flood neighborhood streets after a snowstorm struck the U.S. East Coast, in Atlantic City, New Jersey January 24, 2016. Tides higher than those caused by Superstorm Sandy three years ago caused major flooding along the Jersey Shore and Delaware coast and set records in Cape May, New Jersey, and Lewes, Delaware, said NWS meteorologist Patrick O’Hara. REUTERS/Tom Mihalek
A man walks on a flooded street at Fairmount and Arizona Avenues on his way to work at a casino after a powerful snowstorm struck the U.S. East Coast, in Atlantic City, New Jersey January 24, 2016. Tides higher than those caused by Superstorm Sandy three years ago caused major flooding along the Jersey Shore and Delaware coast and set records in Cape May, New Jersey, and Lewes, Delaware, said NWS meteorologist Patrick O’Hara. REUTERS/Tom Mihalek
A view of Arizona Avenue looking towards the bay from Fairmount Avenue is seen as high tides flood neighborhood streets after a powerful snowstorm struck the U.S. East Coast, in Atlantic City, New Jersey January 24, 2016. Tides higher than those caused by Superstorm Sandy three years ago caused major flooding along the Jersey Shore and Delaware coast and set records in Cape May, New Jersey, and Lewes, Delaware, said NWS meteorologist Patrick O’Hara. REUTERS/Tom Mihalek
A seagull dives for a fish in the flooded intersection of Fairmount and California Avenues as high tides inundate neighborhoods after a powerful snowstorm struck the U.S. East Coast, in Atlantic City, New Jersey January 24, 2016. Tides higher than those caused by Superstorm Sandy three years ago caused major flooding along the Jersey Shore and Delaware coast and set records in Cape May, New Jersey, and Lewes, Delaware, said NWS meteorologist Patrick O’Hara. REUTERS/Tom Mihalek
A police emergency truck drives along Fairmount Avenue past neighborhoods flooded by high tides after a powerful snowstorm struck the U.S. East Coast, in Atlantic City, New Jersey January 24, 2016. Tides higher than those caused by Superstorm Sandy three years ago caused major flooding along the Jersey Shore and Delaware coast and set records in Cape May, New Jersey, and Lewes, Delaware, said NWS meteorologist Patrick O’Hara. REUTERS/Tom Mihalek
A resident shovels snow away from the entrance to his home in Union City, New Jersey, across the Hudson River from Midtown Manhattan, after the second-biggest winter storm in New York history, January 24, 2016. REUTERS/Rickey Rogers TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
A resident removes snow away from the entrance to his home in Union City, New Jersey, across the Hudson River from Midtown Manhattan, after the second-biggest winter storm in New York history, January 24, 2016. REUTERS/Rickey Rogers TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
A resident shovels snow away from the entrance to his home in Union City, New Jersey, across the Hudson River from Midtown Manhattan, after the second-biggest winter storm in New York history, January 24, 2016. REUTERS/Rickey Rogers
A resident stands next to his vehicle after digging it out of the snow in Union City, New Jersey, across the Hudson River from Midtown Manhattan, after the second-biggest winter storm in New York history, January 24, 2016. REUTERS/Rickey Rogers
A resident digs her car out from the snow in Union City, New Jersey, across the Hudson River from Midtown Manhattan, after the second-biggest winter storm in New York history, January 24, 2016. REUTERS/Rickey Rogers
La tormenta fue la segunda más grande que haya azotado a la ciudad de Nueva York en su historia y dejó 68 centímetros de nieve hasta la medianoche del sábado, apenas por debajo del récord del 2006 de 68,3 centímetros, dijo el Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (NWS, por sus siglas en inglés).
Trece personas murieron el sábado en accidentes automovilísticos relacionados con el mal tiempo en Arkansas, Carolina del Norte, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee y Virginia. Una persona murió en Maryland y tres en Nueva York mientras retiraban la nieve con palas. Dos fallecieron por hipotermia en Virginia, dijeron funcionarios.
En la costa de Nueva Jersey, una región duramente golpeada por el huracán Sandy en el 2012, la tormenta provocó inundaciones durante la marea alta.
Luego de arrojar cerca de 60 centímetros de nieve sobre el área de Washington, la tormenta se fortaleció inesperadamente el sábado mientras avanzaba con rumbo al norte hacia el área metropolitana de Nueva York, hogar de cerca de 20 millones de personas.
El gobernador de Nueva York, Andrew Cuomo, declaró estado de emergencia, al igual que otras 10 autoridades estatales. La prohibición impuesta a los viajes en los caminos del área de la ciudad de Nueva York y Long Island, salvo para vehículos de emergencia, terminó a las 7.00 a.m. del domingo. Los puentes y túneles de la ciudad también reabrieron.
En la mañana del domingo, la tormenta casi se había alejado de la costa, aunque algunos vestigios aún afectaban a algunas zonas de Long Island y Cape Cod.
Cerca de 3.500 vuelos fueron cancelados el domingo y ya hay más de 600 cancelados para el lunes, según el sitio de Internet FlightAware.com.
El récord de nieve caída en Washington es de 71,1 centímetros y fue establecido en 1922. La mayor nevada reciente alcanzó los 45,2 centímetros en el 2010.
Los fuertes vientos golpearon a toda la Costa Este, desde Carolina del Norte a Nueva York, alcanzando los 112,6 kilómetros por hora en Wallops Island, Virginia, en la noche del viernes, provocado oleajes altos e inundando el litoral, dijo el Greg Gallina, del NWS.
Oleajes mayores que los provocados por el huracán Sandy hace tres años llevaron el agua hacia el interior de la costa de Jersey Shore y Delaware y fijaron un nuevo récord en Cape May, Nueva Jersey, y Lewes, Delaware, dijo Patrick O’Hara del NWS.
