A powerful winter storm that slammed North America has claimed more lives in the US state of New York, local officials say.
At least 34 people have died in Erie County, which includes the city of Buffalo, county executive Mark Poloncarz said on Wednesday.
Authorities are still trying to identify three of the victims.
The storm that swept across the US over the holiday weekend has killed at least 60 people in eight states.
There have now been more fatalities in Erie County in the last few days than during the infamous Buffalo blizzard of 1977. Twenty-nine people died in that storm, according to the National Weather Service.
“It’s a horrible storm with too many deaths,” Mr Poloncarz said during a press conference on Wednesday morning.
But conditions in some of the hardest-hit regions in the US – including New York – are starting to improve.
In Erie County, fewer than 1,000 households are now without power, and 95% of residents should have power restored by the end of the day, Mr Poloncarz said.
The city of Buffalo – which got more than four feet (1.2m) of snow – has made progress clearing roads, county officials said. At least 65% of city streets have at least one lane available for passage, though a driving ban remains in effect due to dangerous conditions, Mr Poloncarz said.
The local Buffalo Niagara International Airport reopened at 11:00 local time (16:00 GMT) after closing last Friday, though nearly all scheduled departing flights for the day were cancelled or delayed, according to the airport’s website.
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