Washington, D.C. snowstorms

Some of the heaviest snow for decades has hit parts of the eastern US, paralysing air and road transport, and bringing Washington DC to a standstill.

The storm knocked down power lines and left hundreds of thousands of people without electricity.

Nearly 2ft (60cm) of snow had fallen by noon on Saturday in cities across the region, the Associated Press reports.

The mayor of Washington DC, and the governors of Virginia and Maryland have declared states of emergency.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8501246.stm

Remember the blase attitude of many of those in the capital when Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma left people throughout New Orleans, the Gulf Coast and Florida without reliable supplies of food and electric for weeks? I guess it's only a disaster when it effects them.