Buffalo Snow Storm Death Toll Surges as Police 'Preparing for More Bodies'

Residents of Buffalo should brace themselves for "more bodies to be discovered," according to the city's police commissioner who spoke after the city was savaged by a winter storm over the Christmas weekend.

At least 28 people died across western New York state after blizzards made travel impossible, with more than five feet of snow falling on parts of Buffalo and trapping people in their vehicles.

Speaking to NewsNation on Tuesday, Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said officers are working through a "backlog of 'check the welfare' calls that goes back to Friday night."

Asked if he expects the death toll to rise, Gramaglia replied: "Tragically I do. We have 28 confirmed deaths that are storm-related. We also have approximately a dozen deaths that are considered natural.

"As I said, we're still working our way through a lot of the 'check the welfare' calls and this is where we are finding some people that have become deceased in their homes that don't have power.

"The other thing that's going to become very grueling is we have very high snow drifts, a significant amount of snow, and we are very certain we are going to find more people as the snow begins to melt. We are preparing ourselves for more bodies to be discovered."

Describing the area around Buffalo, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul said: "It is [like] going to a war zone, and the vehicles along the sides of the roads are shocking."

She added: "This is a war with mother nature and she has been hitting us with everything she has."

Hochul spoke to President Biden on Monday, who she said offered "the full force of the federal government" to support the state.

Some stores in Buffalo have been hit by looting, with police making eight arrests and forming a specialist anti-looting unit to tackle the problem.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Gramaglia said: "This isn't people stealing food and medicine and diapers.

"They are destroying stores. They are stealing televisions, couches—whatever else they can get their hands on. They are opportunists."

In a message to the looters, he added: "All you're doing is destroying the resource you have when you need to go to the store again and buy food or whatever else that you need. You're destroying your community. It will not be tolerated."

A video showing a man ordering apparent looters to "put everything back" in one store was posted online on Monday, receiving over 93,000 views on TikTok.

According to The Weather Channel, there is a 50 percent chance of more snow for Buffalo on Wednesday, most likely in the morning, with temperatures maxing out at 38 degrees Fahrenheit.

A driving ban remains in place across the city, which is being enforced by military police along with their civilian counterparts.

Across the United States, at least 62 people are confirmed to have died in the extreme weather, with the figure expected to rise as milder conditions allow rescue efforts to intensify.

Buffalo Police have been contacted for comment.