Icy US storm kills over 23

A winter storm raging over the midwestern United States on Tuesday reportedly left two dozen people dead and hundreds of thousands without power, as ice toppled trees and power lines and sent cars skidding off slick roads.
Most of the fatalities were reported in Oklahoma, where authorities also said more than 600,000 people were without power. Electric company officials said it could take a week before power is fully restored.
The storm has claimed at least 23 lives, CNN reported. US President George W. Bush approved a request for an emergency declaration that frees up federal resources to help respond to the storm. In Missouri, more than 100,000 people were without power, authorities said.