Snow storm pounds US Midwest: 11 die

A heavy snow storm pelted the American Midwest, causing deadly road accidents, power outages and grounded flights for Christmas holiday travellers, US media reported on Monday.
The storm left at least 11 dead in car crashes across the central United States over the weekend, local papers said, with icy roads and poor visibility causing hundreds of accidents.
Snow, ice, fog and powerful winds created havoc for those trying to head home for the Christmas holiday on treacherous highways or via airports plagued by delays and cancelled flights, local newspapers said.
The National Weather Service on Sunday maintained winter storm warnings for parts of the Great Lakes region with snow and powerful gusts in northern Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.
In parts of Michigan, four to eight inches (10 to 17 centimeters) of snow was expected to fall by Christmas morning on Tuesday, the forecasters said.