Written by Bernd Debusmann JrBBC News, Washington
More than 90 weather-related deaths have been recorded across the United States after the country was hit by severe winter storms over the past week.
The deaths include at least 25 in Tennessee and 16 in Oregon, which remains under a state of emergency after severe ice storms.
Tens of thousands of people are still without electricity in large areas of the country.
Icy conditions are expected to ease in the next few days.
There were 92 weather-related deaths recorded across the country over the past week, according to a tally by CBS, the BBC's partner in the US.
While the death toll was highest in Tennessee and Oregon, deaths were also reported in Mississippi, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Washington, Kentucky, Wisconsin, New York, New Jersey and elsewhere.
In one of the accidents that occurred in Portland, Oregon, last Wednesday, three people were electrocuted to death when strong winds caused a power line to fall and collide with the car they were traveling in. A child who was in the car survived.
Environmental Protection AgencyOther deaths remain under investigation, including the death of one person in a five-vehicle crash in Kentucky and four in Illinois.
Five people — most of them presumed homeless — died over the course of just four days in Seattle, according to the Associated Press.
In Mississippi, the weather prompted officials to warn drivers to “drive only when necessary” and “beware of black ice” on the state's roads. Colleges and universities in the state postponed the return of students from winter vacation due to the circumstances.
The death toll in the state rose to 11 after three more deaths were announced there on Sunday.
Officials in Mississippi are also investigating whether online rumors about potential water shortages related to the storms prompted residents to store water in their bathtubs. The move caused a temporary drop in water pressure and dried up faucets for thousands of residents in Jackson, the state capital, which has had historic water problems.
Water problems also continue to plague Tennessee, where 400,000 people remain under a boil water notice due to broken pipes in the Memphis area — one of about 30 areas issuing similar warnings. Local utilities there said they repaired 41 water sources and more than 4,000 water pipes due to the cold temperatures.
“Use boiled or bottled water for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, and preparing food until further notice,” the company said in X. She added: “Tap water is safe for bathing, try to avoid getting it into your mouth.” “
Restaurants and bars in the southern US city were reportedly using bottled water to serve customers on Sunday, with some forced to close or offer modified menus.
While power has largely been restored in areas of the United States that lost it to winter weather, tens of thousands of people remain without power across the country.
As of Sunday evening, 45,000 people were without power in Oregon. More power outages were reported in Pennsylvania, California, New Mexico and Indiana.
The National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning Monday for parts of Arkansas and Oklahoma, and driving conditions are expected to be treacherous across wide swaths of the country through Monday.
The snow is then expected to melt, with some meteorologists warning that warm air and rain could cause flooding in parts of the Midwest and northeastern United States.
By the end of the week, temperatures in some eastern regions of the country may be much higher than average for this time of year.
