Families in western New York were scrambling to find food, medicine and other essentials Monday after a historic blizzard blocked roads and cut off electricity, forcing many major supermarkets and pharmacies to close.
In Buffalo, where at least 18 people have died, the two largest supermarket chains have been closed since Friday as the latest forecast called for another 6 to 12 inches of snow.
“There are no stores open. It’s whatever you can grab,” said Scott McCandless, 54, who lives in Orchard Park, a suburb southeast of Buffalo.
Surrounded by snow Sunday night, McCandless ate a bowl of generic