National Guard checks homes in Buffalo for blizzard victims

The National Guard went door to door in parts of Buffalo in USA to check on people who lost power during the area’s deadliest winter storm in decades, and authorities faced the tragic possibility of finding more victims amid melting snow. Already, more than three dozen deaths have been reported in western New York from the blizzard that raged Friday and Saturday across much of the country, with Buffalo in its crosshairs. The driving ban in New York’s second-most-populous city was set to lift early Thursday, just after midnight, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said at a press conference Wednesday evening. As the deep freeze eased into milder weather Wednesday and the number of lingering power outages dwindled, more than 600 National Guard members were sent to western New York, officials said. “We are fearful that there are individuals who may have perished, living alone, or people who are not doing well,” said Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz. The county encompasses Buffalo. One pair of National Guard troops, clipboard in hand, knocked on the door of a home as people nearby tried to dig their way to businesses on a major avenue in Buffalo. Twenty-five Guard teams were making such rounds, spokesperson Eric Durr said by phone. He said troops had made some wellness checks previously but went out with a specific list of questions, including whether residents had food, water, electricity or any special health or medication concerns. Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said officers from his and other agencies were searching for victims, sometimes using officers’ personal snowmobiles, trucks and other equipment. With the death toll already surpassing that of the area’s notorious Blizzard of 1977, local officials faced questions about the response to last week’s storm. They insisted they prepared, but that the weather was extraordinary even for a region prone to powerful winter storms. Gov. Kathy Hochul said that the state is ready to deploy nearly 800,000 sandbags and more than 300 pumps and generators for flooding response efforts if needed. Buffalo Niagara International Airport reopened after a five-day closure, although many flights were canceled. Temperatures rose above 40 degrees (about 4 degrees Celsius) in Buffalo on Wednesday and are expected to top 50 degrees (10 degrees Celsius) on Friday with a chance for showers, according to the National Weather Service. (Source AP)