North America Hit by 'Bomb Cyclone'... Multiple Fatalities Reported

[Asia Economy Reporter Eunju Lee] As the Christmas weekend approaches, a winter storm is sweeping across North America, causing casualties and damage in the United States and Canada.

According to foreign media including The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the 23rd (local time), nine people have died so far due to the severe cold across the United States.

Three people died in a traffic accident on icy roads in Oklahoma, and two people died in a traffic accident in Kentucky. Deaths have also been reported in Missouri, Wisconsin, and Memphis, Tennessee.

In the United States, a "bomb cyclone" is moving eastward, causing extreme weather phenomena such as cold waves, heavy snow, and strong winds in various places. A bomb cyclone is a low-pressure storm formed when cold Arctic air meets moist air. It occurs when the atmospheric pressure drops more than 24 millibars within 24 hours.

Currently, about 240 million people, equivalent to 70% of the U.S. population, are experiencing abnormal cold and strong winds as the storm moves eastward. Heavy snow is falling in the eastern U.S., and in the mountainous areas of Montana, temperatures have dropped to minus 40 degrees Celsius. As of the afternoon of the day, about 1.5 million households in the U.S. are reported to be without power.