America's Mid-Atlantic states are caught in grip of 'snowmageddon'

THE US capital and other cities in the Mid-Atlantic states awoke yesterday to heavy snow and power cuts to hundreds of thousands of homes. The National Weather Service called the storm "historic" and reported a foot of snow in parts of Ohio and 2ft or more in Washington DC, Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Some 3ft of snow fell in parts of Virginia, Maryland and West Virginia. Many roads reopened yesterday, but officials continued to warn residents that highways could be icy and treacherous.

Only two people have died so far – a father-and-son team who were killed trying to help someone on a highway in Virginia.

In New Jersey, more than 90,000 customers lost power during the storm's peak.

President Barack Obama called it "snowmageddon". Even his motorcade fell victim to the storm as a tree limb crashed on to a vehicle carrying members of the press. No-one was injured.

The storm's damage had serious implications for many people stuck without power.