Winter weather turns deadly - KOBI-TV NBC5 / KOTI-TV NBC2

(NBC News) The massive winter storm that has gripped much of the nation over the last several days is now being blamed for at least 28 deaths in seven states.

Millions are without power amid record low temperatures.

The frigid weather has stretched the Texas power grid to capacity, forcing rolling blackouts.

While residents are struggling to stay warm, utility repairmen struggling to help in the field.

“It all looks broken on the system, so you can’t tell what needs to be restored and repaired versus what is just rolling blackouts,” says Lance Theyer of J&L Utility Service.

Meanwhile, a rare February tornado left three people dead and ten others injured in coastal North Carolina.

“We have serious destruction in that neighborhood, we have homes that are knocked over we have a lot of hard work to do as a community to get it back to normal,” says Brunswick County Director of Emergency Services Edward Conrow.