Biden Directs Federal Assistance as Storm Death Toll Hits 27 in New York

President Joe Biden declared a federal emergency in Western New York on Monday afternoon after a storm killed 27 people. The fatalities could continue to rise as search-and-rescue efforts are still under way.

Erie County, where Buffalo is located, was hit with 43 inches of snow over Christmas weekend. The storm caused widespread power outages and made roads impassable, leading to many vehicles becoming stranded. Much of the nation has been battered by an arctic blast in recent days, and out of at least 49 deaths in the U.S., more than half occurred in the Buffalo area, according to the Associated Press.

Biden declared the federal emergency, which opens up opportunities for federal assistance in the affected areas. The president approved the request shortly after speaking with New York Governor Kathy Hochul.

“We stand ready to make sure they have the resources they need to get through this,” Biden tweeted. “My heart is with those who lost loved ones this holiday weekend.”

The National Guard was deployed to Western New York over the weekend to assist in recovery efforts. Treacherous roads delayed emergency responses to the point where people with snowmobiles were asked to aid responders. The area could receive as much as a foot of additional snow before Tuesday afternoon, which could further hinder recovery efforts.

An additional 200 National Guard soldiers were deployed Monday, according to New York state’s website.

The storm killed people after they were stranded in their cars. Many lost power amid plunging temperatures. People also were found dead in snowbanks or while clearing their driveways and shoveling snow.

New York state reported that as of Monday, there were still 25,000 power outages, mostly in Erie County.

“It is devastating,” Governor Kathy Hochul said in a news conference. “It is [like] going to a war zone. The vehicles along the sides of the roads are shocking.”

On Monday afternoon, Hochul tweeted a picture of herself on the phone. Her tweet said that she called the president to request assistance.

“We are extremely grateful to have the federal government’s support as we help Western New York recover from this historic blizzard,” she tweeted.

A video tweeted by New York State Police shows abandoned cars lining the road. According to the tweet, Erie County’s driving band was still in effect.

The fatal storm came only a month after lake-effect snow dumped 6 feet of snow in Buffalo just before Thanksgiving.