A powerful spring storm with high velocity winds hit the New York city and the northeast region, dumping record rain, downing power lines, flooding areas, disrupting traffic and killing at least six persons.
The New York city had received around 13 cm of rainfall in about 12 hours.
At least six deaths are blamed on yesterday's storm, five in Kansas and Texas and one died on South Carolina when several mobile homes were destroyed.
The storm system, which meteorologists say is about 1300 kilometres across, closed several roads as more than 500 flights were cancelled, stranding thousands of passengers, in three major airports in the New York region.
Snow was reported from higher elevations.
In New York, Mayor Michael Bloomberg asked the residents to be vigilant and report any down power line as officials asked people not to drive in water unless they can see the road.
Wind gusts of in excess of 80 kilometres were reported from several areas and thousands of customers lost power which the supply companies were trying to restore till late into the night. Reports said Charleston in South Caroline was lashed by winds up to 113 kilometres per hour.
Almost all rivers in the area were rising with some flooding streets and officials expect them to continue to rise till after the New York region has been having wide variation in weather alternating between warm and cold days.
{{/usCountry}}Almost all rivers in the area were rising with some flooding streets and officials expect them to continue to rise till after the New York region has been having wide variation in weather alternating between warm and cold days.
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