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At least 18 people have died as a result of blizzards and freezing temperatures enveloping the US Midwest. A state of emergency has been declared in South Dakota, Texas and Oklahoma, where the authorities have shut down highways after a series of accidents. The winter weather has stranded hundreds of travellers trying to make it home for the holidays. Flights have been delayed or cancelled. The conditions have also led several churches to cancel Christmas services. "The storm is spanning two thirds of the country," said Chris Vaccaro, a spokesman for the National Weather Service. "Its effects run the gamut from severe thunderstorms in the Gulf Coast to ice in New England to really what is a raging blizzard in the lower plains," he added. Parts of at least 10 central states, stretching from North Dakota to Oklahoma in the south, are now under blizzard warnings. Several motorists took shelter in churches after traffic was snarled for hours on icy highways. "This is mine and my wife's first Christmas together, so she's not very excited," Jonathan Cannon told the Associated Press news agency as he settled down for the night at a Baptist church in Goldsby, Oklahoma. About 200 passengers and staff were stuck at Oklahoma's largest airport on Thursday, as heavy snow forced the cancellation of 70 flights. The storm knocked out power to more than 10,000 homes and businesses in the state, officials said. The capital, Oklahoma City was hit by 14in (35cm) of snow by Thursday night, eclipsing the record of 2.5in set in 1914.