Midwest Million Left in Icy Dark

Nearly 1 million people are without power in the aftermath of a nightmarish ice storm that wreaked havoc with roads, homes and airports through a Midwestern swath of the nation. The storm has claimed 24 lives so far, most on ice-slicked roadways. Forecasters predicted a new storm building in the southern Plains today that will deliver more sleet and freezing rain to Oklahoma, Missouri and Texas.

The power outage was the worst ever in Oklahoma, with more than 618,000 homes and businesses without electricity. Thousands were also affected in Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Illinois. "We're relying on people to look after each other," said the mayor of Oklahoma City. "People who have electricity ought to be sharing it with people who don't." (More storm stories.)