Eastern US wakes up to mammoth snowfall

Parts of the eastern United States have woken up to 46cm (18 inches) of snow after a huge blizzard swept across the region.

Heavy snow began falling on Friday across more than 20 states, affecting some 85 million people, reports BBC.

In Kentucky, where the heaviest snowfall was recorded, thousands of drivers were left stranded in a 35-mile (56km) traffic jam.

At least nine people have died and emergencies declared in 10 states.

Tens of thousands of homes are without power.

The nation`s capital, Washington, could lie under a record 30in (76cm) of snow by the time the storm passes on Sunday.

In Kentucky, a huge traffic jam has started to clear in the past few hours, after thousands of drivers found themselves stranded on Interstate 75 overnight by heavy snow and a number of accidents.

The Red Cross erected shelters along the highway and Kentucky State Police tweeted that officers were taking water, fuel and snacks to the motorists, some of whom had been stuck for more than 12 hours.

Earlier, Caitlin Centner, a reporter with the local channel WKYT-TV, said: "Every time it looks like there`s light at the end of the tunnel, more accidents and slide-offs are occurring."

The weather system affects a huge swathe of the country, from Arkansas in the south to Massachusetts in the north-east.