Severe Flood Threat After Record NY Snowfall

The Governor of New York says the state is well prepared to deal with the threat of severe flooding following record snowfall.

Buffalo has seen more than seven feet of snow over the last few days closing roads and trapping hundreds of people in their cars and homes.

At least 13 people have died.

Forecasters fear flooding could follow as temperatures increase and the snow melts.

It comes after a man who said he was trapped in his home for four days was rescued by the National Guard.

Gary Lehsten said he was among those trapped by snow piling up on front doors.

"Couldn't get my door open," he said.

"All the snow came off the roof and packed the door in."

Mr Lehsten said he could not reach anyone on the phone to help, but he saw the National Guard, which has been called in to help clear the roads, and yelled out to the soldiers.

The latest fatality was a 50-year-old man found dead in his vehicle.

The most recent victims were two elderly residents of a nursing home that was evacuated amid concerns of a roof collapse.

Residents of Buffalo are used to snow - though not quite this much - and they have proved resilient.

The Buffalo News reported that Brian Tramontana has walked through waist-high snow to make special volunteer deliveries to people.

He delivered specially mixed baby formula to a parent, and went to a pharmacy to pick up prescription medicines for someone stuck in their home.

With the stadium buried in snow, the Buffalo Bills called for help, offering $10 per hour to anybody willing to step in and shovel thousands of tonnes of snow.

But with roads impassable and driving bans in effect, the NFL decided to move the Bills' Sunday home game against the New York Jets to Monday night in Detroit.

In East Aurora, a local theatre was supposed to show the latest film in the Hunger Games saga but snow piled up and forced it to close.

So the theatre opted for a variation of a classic quote from another movie, making a sign which said: "Go Ahead Mother Nature, Make My Day."