US blizzard kills 23, leaves hundreds of thousands without power

A fierce winter storm has knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses across the United States and left at least 23 people dead due to exposure and car crashes on icy roads.

The “bomb cyclone” storm, one of the most powerful in decades, also forced the cancellation of more than 3,000 US flights on Saturday, stranding thousands of travellers who were making last-minute dashes for Christmas.