A
rare October snowstorm has caused five deaths and cut power to more
than 3 million homes and businesses in several northeastern states. More
than two feet of snow fell in some areas over the weekend in parts of
Pennsylvania, Connecticut and New Jersey, setting records and forcing
officials to declare states of emergency. The storm also severely
affected transportation with scores of flights canceled, roads closed
and rail services disrupted. More than 100 passengers on a JetBlue
Airlines flight were stranded on the tarmac in Connecticut for more than
seven hours Saturday without food, water or working lavatories. They
were on a flight from Florida to New Jersey that was diverted due to the
storm. The deaths were caused by storm-related accidents in
Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Massachusetts. One of the hardest hit
areas was New Jersey, where more than 650,000 customers are without
power. Officials said it could be several days before all services are
restored throughout the region.
