The deadly winter storm that continues to tear across the United States during the holiday weekend, has left 17 dead in weather-related fatalities in multiple states including Oklahoma, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Kansas, Nebraska, and Ohio.

In Kansas, three people died in weather-related car crashes, the Kansas Highway Patrol told CNN on Friday. According to first responders in Kansas City Police Department, one person died after their vehicle slid off an icy road and fell into a frozen creek in Kansas City, Missouri.

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National Weather Service warned in a bulletin Saturday that blizzards and an Arctic blast will impact the Midwest to the Northeast. Dangerous winds “will create a potentially life-threatening hazard for travelers that become stranded, individuals that work outside, livestock, and domestic pets. In some areas, being outdoors could lead to frostbite in minutes,” the bulletin said.

People were advised to prepare for extreme cold weather by wrapping themselves up in warm clothing and stocking their vehicles with safety kits. “Ensure outdoor animals and livestock have sufficient shelter,” it said.

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Due to the extremely dangerous weather situation, widespread power outages were reported across several states. On Christmas Eve morning, more than 800,000 customers woke up without power. Among the worst affected areas stated in the northeast of the country, including 247,000 in Maine, 78,300 in New Hampshire, and 74,300 in New York. In Texas, 12,650 people were impacted and 11,670 in Washington were without power. 

“If you do lose power, it is going to be dangerously cold,” said Jackie Bray, the commissioner of New York’s Homeland Security and Emergency Services, adding people should seek warming shelters provided by some counties. “Please don’t assume that you can weather this cold overnight without heat. You may not be able to.”

Hundreds of drivers in states including New York, Minnesota, and South Dakota, were stranded and needed rescuing. Major highways in some states were closed down. More than 5,000 flights were canceled and over 10,000 were delayed on Friday.