States of the south and central United States are in the grip of record cold wave with temperature dropping to -20 degree Centigrade. The snow-storm has wreaked havoc rendering five million houses without electricity. Of them four million houses are in Texas, otherwise the hottest state of the country. Normally this low temperature is witnessed in North Canada and Alaska and not in the plains of southern United States.
So far 23 people have lost their lives in the last one week of inclement weather.
This time the temperature has dropped to record low. The power outages have crippled the water treatment plant and have badly disrupted the supply of Corona Virus vaccine especially in Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas.
According to experts this could be a consequence of global warning. The New York Times cited a research suggesting that Arctic warming is weakening the jet stream, the high-level air current that circles the northern latitudes and usually holds back the frigid polar vortex.
Reports say that many of the state’s gas-fired power plants have been rendered non-functional in this icy condition and some plants are suffering from fuel shortages. The demand of natural gas has increased astronomically all over the country. The wind turbines in Texas have also got frozen and are not working.
There is fear that more parts of the country can face power outages as the north and eastern states too are facing severe cold weather conditions, with Chicago recording -18 degree Centigrade on Monday and Tuesday.
