Eastern U.S Paralysed by Heavy Snow

The heaviest snow storms for decades have struck the eastern US, paralysing air and road transport, and bringing Washington DC to a standstill. The storm knocked down power lines and left hundreds of thousands of people without electricity. Nearly 2ft (60cm) of snow had fallen by noon on Saturday in cities across the region. The mayor of Washington DC, and the governors of Virginia and Maryland have declared states of emergency. West Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey are also affected. More than 1ft (12in, 30.5cm) of snow has fallen only 13 times since 1870. The National Weather Service declared a 24-hour blizzard warning for the Washington-Baltimore region until 2200 on Saturday (0300 GMT on Sunday). Most flights from the Washington-Baltimore area's three main airports and Philadelphia International Airport have been cancelled. Hundreds of car accidents were reported, including two fatalities. US national rail service Amtrak cancelled a number of trains between New York and Washington, and also between Washington and some southern destinations. Local weather forecasters said the Washington area could see its heaviest snowfall in 90 years.