Dozens confirmed dead as extreme cold continues to grip large part of US

Dozens of people across multiple US states have been confirmed dead after a powerful winter storm swept through large parts of the country, leaving a trail of damage and extreme cold lingering in its wake, Report informs via CBS News.

As of Sunday, CBS News has confirmed at least 100 deaths directly caused by storm conditions or weather-related accidents, with officials in numerous states reporting about two dozen additional deaths that appear to be related to the winter weather.

Hypothermia from exposure to the cold, car accidents, snowplow accidents, sledding accidents and sudden cardiac emergencies linked to shoveling snow were among the causes of death reported so far. New York City officials say 14 people have been found dead in the cold there, though not all of their causes of death had been confirmed yet.

The winter storm swept across two-thirds of the United States from January 23-26, affecting some 200 million people with a mixture of heavy snow, rain, sleet and freezing temperatures, according to the National Weather Service.

Frigid conditions have persisted, with cold air gripping the eastern half of the country and continuing to drive temperatures far below normal, CBS News meteorologist Nikki Nolan said.

The weather service warned that this "could be the longest duration of cold in several decades."

Extreme cold alerts remained in effect across parts of the eastern US as another winter storm closed in.