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7 Dead As Buffalo's Buried In 4 Feet Of Snow: 'We're At War With Mother Nature,' Hochul Says

At least seven people are confirmed dead in the Buffalo area, where around 4 feet of snowfall, coupled with hurricane-force, lake-effect winds, have brought emergency response efforts to a standstill.

Whiteout conditions in the town of Cheektowaga, near Buffalo, on Christmas Eve morning, Saturday, Dec. 24.

Whiteout conditions in the town of Cheektowaga, near Buffalo, on Christmas Eve morning, Saturday, Dec. 24.

Photo Credit: Cheektowaga Police

Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said on Christmas morning, Sunday, Dec. 25 that four more people had died as a result of the storm, after three earlier deaths had been reported, including two who had medical emergencies in the town of Cheektowaga, just east of Buffalo, because responders were unable to get to them.

As of Sunday morning, about 43 inches of snowfall had fallen in the Buffalo area, according to the National Weather Service.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said she feared the death toll will rise from a storm she described as the worst in Buffalo's history. 

"We're in a war," Hochul said at a news briefing in Albany on Sunday before she headed to Erie County later in the day. "We're at war with Mother Nature. And she's been hitting us with everything she has."

Almost every fire truck in Buffalo is stranded, officials said.

A travel ban remains in effect on Sunday in much of western New York and Buffalo's airport will remain closed until at least Monday, Dec. 26.

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