Spotlight: Nearly 1 mln suffer power outage as second strong blizzard sweeps through NE U.S.

WASHINGTON, March 9 (Xinhua) -- Nearly one million residents were left in darkness and cold in the northeastern United States on Thursday, as two nor'easters swept through the area in less than one week, devastating power infrastructure.

A nor'easter hit the upper half of the U.S. East Coast on Wednesday, bringing a lot of snow to the New England region, adding to the lingering snowfall from another nor'easter that descended on Friday.

As a result of the extreme weather, nearly one million residents in the region have been left without power, some even for days, causing severe difficulties for those living in rural areas.

According to media in the U.S. state of Massachusetts, 250,000 people in the state were without power as of Thursday afternoon.

"Please plan to be without power for multiple days as we work through this significant restoration," power provider Eversource said on Twitter, noting that hundreds of engineers have been dispatched to restore power.

In the coastal state of New Jersey, more than 320,000 power outages have been reported in homes and businesses across the state.

New Hampshire media counted approximately 4,6000 people without power in the state, with local power providers also predicting "days" before power can be restored.

In Pike County, Pennsylvania, thousands have lost power since Friday from the first nor'easter and are anxious for electricity to return.

Matthew Osterberg, a county official, was quoted by the New York Times as saying that patience was wearing thin among locals after six days without power.

"When somebody's lost power in the back section of Pike County, it just stops everything," he said, adding rural residents in his region need electricity for everything from operating wells to septic systems.

Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York said the widespread blackout was "unacceptable," demanding power companies step up efforts to restore power.

Other states that have been hit hard by the storm include Maine, Vermont and Rhode Island, each with tens of thousands without power and in some cases cut off by feet of snow.

The weather has taken a heavy toll on regional traffic as well. As of Wednesday afternoon, New Jersey police have responded to 356 crashes and aided 462 motorists since midnight.

"As of right now, we don't have anything serious. Normally during snow storms, there aren't any serious crashes, due to reduced speeds," local police spokesman Alejandro Goez said.

"If you don't need to be on the road, don't be on the road," Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy said Thursday, telling people to stay at home.

On Wednesday more than 2,700 flights had been canceled, and another 2,400 delayed, according to flight tracker FlightAware. Amtrak, which operates most passenger trains in the northwest, also had to reschedule its trains, suspending traffic on some lines altogether.

To add to the woes, another nor'easter is expected to hit the East Coast on Monday, but its intensity and path are yet to be determined.

But for some lighthearted residents, the heavy snow can be a source of enjoyment. Hundreds have posted pictures of snowy sceneries near their residences, some showing exuberant children making snowmen or dogs helplessly stuck in feet-deep snow. Enditem