Washington, January 25 (QNA) – US President Donald Trump has approved emergency declarations for ten southeastern states, as a powerful winter storm continues to batter large parts of the country.

"I have just approved Emergency Declarations for Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, Maryland, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Indiana, and West Virginia", President Trump said via Truth Social platform.

"We are working closely with FEMA, Governors, and State Emergency Management teams to ensure the safety of everybody. Stay Safe, and Stay Warm!", he added.

The president had previously approved emergency declarations for other states in the storm's path, including South Carolina and Virginia. These declarations allow for the temporary lifting of certain spending restrictions, enabling state governments to expedite resource provision and request federal assistance.

At least 20 US states have declared a state of emergency, including Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Snow and ice cover an area of ​​more than 2,000 kilometers across the United States, with the storm's impact expected to extend from Texas to New England over the weekend, a distance exceeding 3,000 kilometers.

Large areas of the South are experiencing increasing power outages due to ice accumulation, which has downed trees and damaged power lines. Warnings have been issued that hundreds of thousands of people could be without power for several days.

The storm has led to the cancellation of more than 13,000 flights and the closure of sections of highways due to hazardous weather conditions. (QNA)