A killer snowstorm paralyzed the East Coast on Saturday, effectively shutting down New York City and the nation’s capital, while dumping as much as 3 feet of snow in other areas.
At least 19 people died in the mammoth storm, which canceled thousands of flights throughout the weekend, NBC news reported.
New York City recorded its second-largest snowfall since 1869, with Central Park receiving 26.8 inches by midnight—0.1 inch shy of tying the record 26.9 inches set in 2006, the National Weather Service said.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo closed all roads in New York City and Long Island at 2:30 p.m. Saturday as well as tunnels and bridges going to New Jersey. Above-ground sections of the subway and New York City buses stopped running.
While unusual, Cuomo said the shutdown was necessary because “the storm was fast and furious, and we believe that safety is paramount.”
