EE.UU. sufre fuerte nevada

Unos neoyorquinos con esquís tras la nevada.

A record-breaking snowstorm has brought chaos to much of the north-eastern United States. Much of the region now lies covered in some two feet or more of snow and transport systems are at a standstill. Thousands of homes are without electrical power.

Jeremy Cooke reports.

The United States National Weather Service says that this huge winter storm has dumped some 68.3 centimetres of snow in Central Park, making it the worst blizzard to hit New York City since records began in 1869.

To add to the problems facing the entire north-eastern seaboard, winds across the region have been gusting at up to 96 kilometres an hour, causing serious localised drifting. The road network in many places then is impassable. Most of the airports in the region have been closed, with hundreds of flights cancelled. Passengers on transatlantic flights heading into New York have, in some cases, found themselves diverted to alternative destinations.

Here in Manhattan, snowploughs worked non-stop on Sunday in an effort to keep streets and avenues open to traffic. But much of the city was eerily quiet. Even the notoriously busy Times Square was all but deserted for much of the day. Some who did venture out into the snow were rewarded with the memorable sight of people making their way down Broadway on skis.

Jeremy Cooke, BBC News, New York

dumped
depositó, en este caso 68,3 centimetros de nieve

the entire north-eastern seaboard
toda la costa noreste de Estados Unidos

gusting
soplando fuerte o intensamente

localised drifting
profundas capas de nieves acumuladas en ciertas zonas por vientos fuertes

impassable
intransitable

diverted to alternative destinations
en este caso los vuelos fueron desviados a otros destinos

snowploughs
quitanieves

eerily quiet
un silencio inquietante

all but deserted
casi abandonado

venture out
se aventuraron a salir

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