Topeka, KS : Winter storm leaves 4 dead, several injured in central US on Saturday, January 14th 2017

A major winter storm has descended on the US midsection, bringing freezing rain across much of the Great Plains and Midwest and killing at least four people.

Storm Jupiter created dangerous conditions in areas stretching from Oklahoma and Kansas to mid-Missouri and Southern Illinois on Saturday, blocking roads and cancelling numerous flights.

According to airline tracking website Flightaware.com, 435 flights were canceled and nearly 5,000 more delayed as of Saturday afternoon."Ice continues to accumulate in the Central/ Southern Plains states and will shift north into the Upper Mississippi Valley Sunday as a new weather system approaches from the West Coast," the Weather Service said on its website Saturday.

"This storm will change ice to snow from southeast Colorado to northeast Nebraska; and will bring a slight risk of severe thunderstorms and heavy rains to Texas on Sunday," it added.

The storm-related incidents have left at least four people dead and some others injured.

A Missouri man, 35, was killed Saturday when he was ejected from a car and was hit by another vehicle in a large pileup in the southbound lane of I-29.

Also, several other vehicles collided and at least six people were wounded with injuries ranging from minor to moderate.Two other Missouri men were killed after they lost control of their vehicles on an icy road in Ravenwood on Saturday morning.

On Friday, a Missouri woman, 33, was killed in an accident after she lost control of her vehicle on an iced-covered railroad bridge due to a high speed she was driving at. Her car crashed into several trees while she was not wearing a seat belt.

Forecasters said ice accumulation from the storm could be over 1 centimeter with snow, sleet and heavy fog predicted to affect much of the region.

Missouri and Oklahoma officials declared states of emergency ahead of the storm and travel warnings were issued in the two states.

"Emergency personnel are coordinating with state and local officials to ensure we are prepared and ready for whatever comes our way," Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin said in a statement.

Source :
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