U.S. is involved in deadly winter storms

An icy storm has left at least eight people dead in the southern United States and has left over 500,000 people without electricity in Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Mississippi.

The storm has forced American airlines to cancel thousands of flights, with over 700 cancellations on Thursday alone, affecting the most airports in Dallas and Austin.

Texas emergency crews have responded to hundreds of car crashes, some of which have been fatal. Local police departments have asked drivers to drive carefully on the icy roads.

Meteorological services have warned that road travel remains dangerous in the region from Texas to Tennessee and that damage to trees and further power cuts are possible before the ice begins to melt.

A winter storm is also expected to strike the northeast of the United States.

According to the National Weather Service, the cold storm may cause freezing in just ten minutes.

Residents from Pennsylvania to Maine have been advised to limit their time outside their homes from Friday to Saturday.

Boston is under a cold emergency and residents have been asked to take precautions.

Large cities like New York City are expected to experience low temperatures by Saturday, but are projected to recover by the weekend.