Christmas celebrations in US, Europe marred by bad weather

Published on : Wednesday, December 25, 2013

The enthusiasm of festive season has been hit by weekend ice and snow storm which further caused power cuts in parts of central and northeastern US. The Christmas spirit was further dampened by the flight delays caused due to bad weather. More than 7000 flights were behind schedule by late Monday night, many of those in New York, Washington and Chicago.
The storm has killed at least 11 people in the US. Canada was under a cold alert, with temperatures expected to be well below freezing Tuesday. In fact, 115,000 customers were still awaiting power in Toronto, and reportedly some may not have it restored until after Christmas.
Some US states kept emergency shelters open for people who would be without power.
Parts of western Europe was also hit by a severe winter storm causing major travel problems. Passengers travelling for Christmas were stranded at Paris and London airports leaving tens of thousands of homes without power. Till now, four people have died in Britain due to the storm.
Meanwhile, cancelled train services in Britain due to landslides and fallen trees and flooded roads has brought life to a standstill affecting the Christmas celebration plans of thousands of people. Flight delays were triggered by power outages at London Gatwick Airport’s North Terminal.
According to a website, the Energy Networks Association, which represents power companies across the UK, said 150,000 homes were without power, mainly in the south of England. Power supplier Southern Electric said some may not get electricity back in time for Christmas Day.