12 dead in Buffalo after massive winter storm

Twelve people have died in Buffalo, N.Y., as a result of a strong winter storm known as a bomb cyclone that has developed in the Great Lakes region, officials there said. 

Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz tweeted on Sunday evening that the death toll had risen to 12 after discovering five additional storm-related fatalities

“Our deepest condolences to the families in Erie County who have lost loved ones due to this storm,” he wrote on Twitter.

A bomb cyclone occurs when atmospheric pressure drops significantly in a strong storm. Forecasters have said that the storm is causing blizzard conditions, bringing heavy winds and snow. 

The storm has brought hurricane-force winds and snow and caused whiteout conditions, freezing emergency response efforts and shutting down the Buffalo airport until Monday. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) has said almost every fire truck in the city has been stranded as a result of the conditions. 

The National Weather Service reported that the total amount of snowfall at Buffalo’s airport was 43 inches as of 7 a.m. on Sunday. 

Two of the deaths in the Buffalo area happened in the suburb Cheektowaga when emergency responders could not treat the victims in time for medical conditions they were experiencing. 

Poloncarz earlier on Sunday repeatedly urged people to stay off the roads to allow crews to clear roads for emergency responders to get where they need to go. He also said residents of the Buffalo area should not go out even if the storm has subsided where they are as most of the city is still impassable. 

He warned that there may be more deaths. 

Poloncarz tweeted that officials’ primary goal is to get solid routes to area hospitals cleared. 

“This is not the Christmas any of us hoped for nor expected, but try to have as merry a Christmas as possible today,” he tweeted. “Remember the holiday spirit and why we’re a community of good neighbors.”

The Associated Press and Zach Schonfeld contributed to this report.