New York, Mar 22 (EFE).- Snowstorm Toby, which affected several states on the US East Coast on Wednesday but is diminishing on Thursday, has left at least three people dead and resulted in numerous road accidents and power outages.
Some of the fatal incidents were due to the worsening traffic conditions: In New York, a 51-year-old women died when the van in which she was riding with five other people flipped over on the Wantagh State highway on Long Island. The other people in the vehicle were injured to varying degrees, local media reported.
Also, a car-bus crash on a highway in New Jersey’s Hunterdon County left one person dead, according to Gov. Phil Murphy, who held a press conference but gave no further details.
Meanwhile, in the town of Bellmore, on Long Island, a 62-year-old woman who was shoveling snow died after suffering a heart attack, according to NBC.
The arrival of the fourth snowstorm in less than a month – ironically coinciding with the first day of spring, led New Jersey authorities to declare a state of emergency, while in New York emergencies were declared only in certain areas.
Authorities were forced to close certain federal government institutions and public schools, and hundreds of flights had to be cancelled, especially at airports providing service to New York and its environs.
Toby has begun to weaken, however, after dumping up to 35 centimeters (14 inches) of snow in New York, downing trees throughout the region and causing power outages for some 80,000 residents in neighboring New Jersey.