Nor'easter kills one and cancels hundreds of flights along US East Coast

A powerful nor'easter has killed at least one person and thrown travel into chaos across the eastern United States, prompting emergency declarations in New York and New Jersey as tens of millions of people from Virginia to Maine found themselves in the storm's path.

The storm brought torrential rain, high winds and towering waves to the East Coast, forcing the cancellation of hundreds of flights and knocking out power to large numbers of residents. Major cities including New York, Boston and Philadelphia bore the brunt of the system, with authorities warning of significant flooding and widespread road closures.

Coastal communities faced particularly severe conditions as high waves combined with storm surge to push water inland. Officials urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel and take precautions as flood warnings remained in place across the region.

The storm takes its name from the northeasterly winds that characterise such systems along the Atlantic seaboard. Authorities continued to monitor conditions as the nor'easter moved through the region, with recovery efforts already under way in the hardest-hit areas.