Environment

Ice Storms Ravage the East, Claiming 19 Lives, Freezing Services

by Tina Kells | January 29, 2009 at 10:00 am

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A severe weather front of blustery snow and heavy ice storms that struck the north-eastern region of North America has been blamed for at least 19 deaths and has left at least 165,000 people in the state of Arkansas without power for days.

The ice storms have forged a path of destruction through the states of Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Mississippi and the Ohio vallet, and have now worked their way up to New England. Some areas report that sheets of ice as thick as three inches have coated the ground.

In Arkansas, tree limbs weighed down by ice have crashed onto overhead cables, cutting power to at least 165,000 homes and businesses...

Parts of Arkansas and Oklahoma have been coated with ice up to three inches thick. A state-wide emergency has been declared in both states.

Arkansas state government offices opened two hours late because of the weather.

All but essential state workers in Oklahoma were told to stay home, while West Virginia state offices closed early.

The New Hampshire Legislature has cancelled sessions after forecasters warned of up to 15 inches of snow in the state.

The ice storms have also moved in to eastern Canada with a vengeance, pushing the York region of Ontario to record levels of snowfall and disrupting services across the provice. Even the mighty St. Lawrence river has been crippled by the ice storms.

In Canada, a cruise ship carrying 300 people was among four vessels stuck in ice on the St Lawrence River.
A Coast Guard ice breaker, trapped in the ice itself at one stage, managed to free the cruise ship after more than 30 hours.

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LOvED88

at 12:08 on January 29th, 2009

The sky finally clears after the ice storm

LOvED88 has contributed a photo to this story.

roy_cordell

at 21:26 on January 29th, 2009

Many roads were blocked by fallen trees and limbs Tuesday and Wednesday as crews fought to restore power and open roadways. The destruction is phenomenal - most, if not all, of the great oaks in Northwest Arkansas lost a great deal of their limbs and many fell completely.

roy_cordell has contributed a photo to this story.

wrbphotography

at 05:42 on January 30th, 2009

In the small city of Beechwood Village located in the east-end of Louisville Kentucky during the first ice storm of 2009. The power was lost as the ice built up on the electic lines to homes . The roads covered with ice and snow, Still people were getting out to help each other and some were just playing in the snow. Warmer weather expected by Sunday, however the power may not be restoried until next week.

wrbphotography has contributed a photo to this story.