A large part of the eastern United States is suffering from the effects of a severe snowstorm.

Power cuts in and around Washington have left 230,000 people without electricity. Road and air traffic has come to a standstill. The airports of Washington, Baltimore and Philadelphia have closed. Hospitals in the affected areas have called on owners of SUVs and other four-wheel drive vehicles to help transport doctors and nurses to work.

Meteorologists say they haven’t seen this much snow since 1922. In some places 80 centimetres of snow has fallen. The snowstorm is not over, but has eased a little.

Photo: Snowstorms in US - ANP/EPA