Severe winter storm in US kills at least 11, grounds 19,000 flights

At least 11 people have died in one of the most severe winter storms to hit the United States, while more than 19,000 flights have been cancelled since Saturday.

According to international news agencies, authorities have advised the public to avoid road travel due to hazardous weather conditions.

The storm has brought widespread snowfall, hail and heavy rain across a vast region stretching from Texas to New England.

Meteorologists have warned that temperatures are expected to drop to dangerously low levels in the coming days.

New York Mayor Zahran Mamdani said that five people were found dead outdoors on Sunday. In Texas, officials have confirmed three fatalities, while two people died of hypothermia in the state of Louisiana. In southeastern Iowa, one person was killed and two others injured in a traffic accident caused by severe weather.

News agencies reported that more than 820,000 consumers were without electricity until Monday, most of them in southern states where the storm intensified on Saturday.

Authorities from Texas to North Carolina and New York have urged residents to remain indoors due to life-threatening conditions.

A state of emergency has been declared in at least 20 US states as well as the federal capital, Washington, DC.

Major airports in Washington, Philadelphia and New York have seen nearly all flights cancelled.

According to a flight-tracking website, more than 19,000 domestic and international flights have been cancelled since Saturday.