Heavy death toll, fearsome weather storms invade this state

An icy storm has left at least eight people dead in the southern United States and left more than 500,000 people without power in Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi.

The storm has forced US airlines to cancel thousands of flights, with more than 700 cancellations on Thursday alone, mostly affecting airports in Dallas and Austin.

Emergency crews in Texas have responded to hundreds of car crash calls, some of which have been fatal. Local police departments have asked motorists to drive carefully on icy roads.

Weather services have warned that road travel remains hazardous in the region from Texas to Tennessee and that tree damage and further power outages are possible before the ice begins to melt.

A winter storm is expected to hit the northeast of the United States of America. According to the National Weather Service, the cold storm can cause freezing in as little as ten minutes.

Residents from Pennsylvania to Maine have been advised to limit their time outdoors from Friday through Saturday. Boston is under a cold emergency and residents are being urged to take precautions.

Major cities such as New York City are expected to experience freezing temperatures through Saturday, but are expected to recover by the weekend./REL