Biden sends federal aid as New York digs out from huge snowstorm

Cars drive through blowing, drifting snow on McKinley Parkway in Hamburg in Erie County, New York (The Buffalo News via AP)

US President Joe Biden is sending federal aid to western New York state to help state and local authorities clean up from the massive storm that dumped as much as 6ft of snow in western and northern New York.

The emergency declaration authorises the US Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate disaster relief in 11 counties hit by the the lake-effect snowstorm on Friday and Saturday.