AROUND TWO MILLION homes have been left without power in the US after freak snowstorms hit large areas of the north-east over the weekend.

The storm has been blamed for at least 21 deaths, including one in Canada, mostly caused by falling trees, traffic accidents or electrocutions from downed wires. Eight people died in Pennsylvania alone.

One town in Massachusetts saw 81cm of snow over Saturday and Sunday, with the storm hitting areas as far north as Maine and as far south as Maryland.

More than 3 million homes and businesses lost power at the height of the storm, although by last night, that number was down to around 2.2 million.

States of emergency were declared in New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts and areas of New York, according to the BBC. Local authorities have said it could be up to a week before power supplies are restored.

The storms have been especially damaging because they came so early, meaning leaves are still on the trees. A spokesman for the US national grid told Reuters: “It was like wet cement that just adhered to trees, branches, leaves and power lines. That’s what really caused the damage.”