Dozens of Americans have died have died as a winter storm brought frigid temperatures and paralyzing snowfall totals across the US, and officials in the Buffalo area believe the staggering toll will continue to grow there as teams carry on with search-and-rescue missions.
\nThe nationwide death toll from storm, which brought more than 40 inches of snow to some areas, climbed to 49 on Monday, with 27 of those deaths in Erie County, New York.
\nBuffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia told CNN\u2019s Wolf Blitzer, \u201cUnfortunately, they are still recovering bodies.\u201d
\nSome died of exposure, and some deaths were due to natural causes, he said of the people found dead recently.
\nThe commissioner implored residents, \u201cStay home. Don\u2019t go out.\u201d
\nHe said emergency responders will go, and have gone, to homes without heat and take people to warming shelters. Too many people, including residents just going out to see the massive snowfall, are going out in their vehicles and getting stuck and blocking recovery efforts, he said.
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\nErie County Executive Mark Poloncarz tweeted that 14 people in the county had died of exposure, three people were found in their vehicles, four had no heat, three were from \u201cshoveling\/(snow) blowing cardiac events, and three people passed away after EMS services were delayed.
\nHe told CNN that unfortunately it appears the numbers will go up.
\n\u201cI am aware of additional bodies that have been recovered and are being brought to our temporary morgue,\u201d he told The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer. \u201cWe\u2019ve had so many bodies that various hospitals are full and we\u2019re just having to go through and determine if the individuals have died from a blizzard-related death.\u201d
\n\u201cIt\u2019s just been a horrible, horrible situation,\u201d he added.
\nThe deadly storm comes just one month after the region was slammed with a historic snowstorm.
\nAnd snow was continuing to fall Monday. At a morning news conference, Poloncarz noted officials expect between 8 and 12 more inches of snow to fall between Monday morning and 1 p.m. Tuesday. \u201cThis is not helpful as we\u2019re trying to recover and clear off streets and get into areas that still have not\u201d been plowed, he said.
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\nWhile driving bans have been lifted in some communities, one such order remains in place in Buffalo, Poloncarz said, describing the city is \u201cimpassable in most areas,\u201d with abandoned vehicles scattered everywhere.
\nEven emergency and recovery vehicles sent out to help have gotten stuck in the snow as rescue crews and hundreds of snowplow drivers fanned out on Christmas. Eleven abandoned ambulances were dug out Sunday, officials said.<\/p>\n