400 flights cancelled as storm hits US

More than 400 flights were cancelled due to heavy snow Monday at three major airports in the New York area of the US, Xinhua reported.

The flight-tracking website FlightAware reported that by Monday afternoon, 177 flights were cancelled at LaGuardia Airport, 75 at John F. Kennedy International (JFK) Airport, and 188 at Newark Liberty International Airport.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for New York City, Long Island and parts of New Jersey, where 12-20 cm of snow is expected.

Many schools around the area were closed. In New York City, public schools were open, but all school field trips and after-school programmes were cancelled due to the weather.

The New York City Department of Sanitation has issued a "snow alert" for Monday with its staff beginning initial equipment readiness, including loading its salt spreaders, attaching plows when necessary, preparing tire chains and notifying supplementary personnel as needed.

Massive winter storms have dumped snow across the northeast of the country and ushered in dangerously cold temperatures, leading to at least 13 deaths in the eastern US so far.