Snow storm slams US east coast

WASHINGTON. December 20. KAZINFORM A treacherous winter storm slammed the US East Coast on Saturday, dumping more than a foot (30 centimeters) of snow in some areas and creating misery for motorists on the weekend before Christmas; Kazinform refers to China Daily.
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Officials urged residents to stay indoors, and many heeded the warning. A mall near Richmond, Virginia, typically busy this time of year, was nearly deserted as stores opened. Airports canceled flights or were operating with excessive delays. Drivers abandoned their cars as roads and highways became impassable.

Forecasts called for up to 20 inches (50 centimeters) of snow across the region. The US capital was blanketed in white.

Snowplows cleared the runway at Andrews Air Force Base in suburban Washington as President Barack Obama returned from climate talks in Copenhagen. The White House said Obama rode in a motorcade back to the White House, instead of taking his helicopter, because of the conditions.

In western Virginia, officials said several hundred motorists became stranded and had to be rescued by four-wheeled vehicles and Humvees driven by the National Guard. About 100 people were taken to shelters in two counties, said Virginia Department of Emergency Management spokesman Bob Spieldenner.

"Some folks have decided to stay in vehicles, others have been taken to shelters," Spieldenner said. "We're definitely trying to keep people off the roads."

Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said traffic was moving, though slowly. One fatality had been reported, but otherwise there were no medical emergencies, she said.

"It's looks probably a lot worse than it is," she said.

Washington Mayor Adrian Fenty had declared a snow emergency for the city and forecasters issued a blizzard warning, saying the conditions could worsen. All of the Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo were closed.

"It's going to be an all day thing. It's going to be on and off," said National Weather Service meteorologist Kevin Witt in Sterling, Virginia.

Philadelphia also declared a snow emergency and the school district canceled all weekend activities.

Reagan National Airport and Dulles International Airport outside Washington each had one runway open, but airlines had canceled most of their flights; Kazinform cites China Daily.

See www.chinadaily.com.cn for full version

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