THE United States government remained closed yesterday as several inches of fresh snow fell on Washington, hampering the massive clear up operation after the weekend blizzard which paralysed the north eastern states.
Washington's National Airport remained closed until late yesterday afternoon because of the fresh snow, and snowploughs which had begun to clear secondary roads were directed back to snow emergency routes.
Government workers have been told to report for work in Washington today if they can make it.
However, schools are not expected to reopen in the Washington area or in several other cities, including Richmond, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York for several days, because school buses cannot negotiate all suburban streets.
At least 50 deaths were blamed on the snowstorm, one of the worst this century. Most deaths were due to traffic accidents or heart attacks while shovelling snow, officials said.
Several people were treated in hospitals in New York for carbon monoxide poisoning, after sitting in stalled cars with engines running and exhaust systems blocked by mounting snow.
New York area airports reopened yesterday after snowploughs overnight cleared runways covered with two feet of snow and drifts as high as 20 feet. Airports at Philadelphia, Newark and Boston, and Dulles Airport, Washington, also reopened.
Aer Lingus flights from Dublin and Shannon to JFK Airport in New York resumed yesterday after a one day break.
An airports official said it would be three days before a return to normal in New York. He added "We have flights from Asia that have been in Anchorage, Alaska, since Sunday, and we have dozens of flights from Europe that have been sitting in Montreal."
The US Post Office planned to resume mail delivery yesterday in Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, Washington and Boston.
Weather forecasters warned yesterday that another snow storm could hit the north east of the United States this weekend.
. Budget talks between the White House and top Republican congressional leaders were suspended yesterday with no agreement in hand, as both sides said key differences remained. President Clinton said much progress had been made, and promised talks would resume by next Wednesday at the latest. Each side was careful to report the talks in recess as opposed to being broken off. The House of Representatives Speaker, Mr Newt Gingrich, said it was a "good time to take a deep pause."