A winter storm sweeping across parts of the Midwest has snarled traffic in several states, left at least seven people dead and thousands more without power in the dead of winter.
The storm moved into Kansas and Nebraska from the Rockies on Friday, then east into Missouri and Illinois, covering roads and making driving dangerous. The Missouri State Highway Patrol says nearly 300 vehicles had slid off roads across the state and more than 175 crashes had been reported by late Saturday morning.
Authorities in Kansas and Missouri reported at least three people killed in each state, most of them in vehicle accidents. The Indiana State Police confirmed one death in that state.
By late morning Saturday, officials had reported nearly 11 inches of snow at Lambert International Airport in St. Louis, where most flights were canceled or delayed. In central Missouri, officials said about 12,000 households and businesses were without power in Columbia and the surrounding area.
The National Weather Service issued winter weather advisories for Missouri, as well as Illinois and Indiana.
