Millions without power and 21 dead as ferocious winter weather sweeps US

Ferocious winter weather sweeping across large parts of the central and southern US has brought record-breaking cold temperatures, left millions without power and killed at least 21 people across multiple states.

The worst power outages were in Texas, where more than 4m homes and businesses remained without power on Tuesday in subfreezing temperatures.

Elsewhere more than 250,000 people also lost power across parts of Appalachia, and 4 million people lost power in Mexico. Another quarter-million were without electricity following an ice storm in north-west Oregon.

President Joe Biden assured the governors of hard-hit states that the federal government stands ready to offer any emergency resources needed, the White House said in a statement.