Heavy snowfalls wreak havoc in parts of New York State. The storm has already led to dozens of flight cancellations at Buffalo International Airport as well as road closures and driving bans in the west of the state, the broadcaster CNN reported on Saturday night.

Two people died from heart problems while clearing snow in Erie County, county official Mark Poloncarz said on Twitter. The National Weather Service reported that more than 1.60 meters of snow fell in the city of Orchard Park south of Buffalo by Friday evening (local time).

A state of emergency had been declared in parts of the state, Poloncarz said. Authorities and weather experts had warned of a particularly dangerous storm. Snowfall is forecast to continue on Saturday before easing on Sunday. It's the weekend before Thanksgiving, the American harvest festival. Along with Christmas, the holiday is one of the most important family celebrations in the USA. The volume of travel is particularly high during this time.