By AP
Tulsa, OK –
TULSA, Okla. (AP) National Guard troops have been called in to help rescue crews search for motorists stranded along Oklahoma's highways as a blizzard paralyzed the state's two major cities.
More than 20 inches of snow, sleet and ice have been dumped on the state.
The National Weather Service in Tulsa indicated Tuesday afternoon that there could be "several hundred people" stranded in cars across northeastern Oklahoma.
Oklahoma Department of Transportation spokeswoman Kenna Mitchell said crews tried to keep at least one lane open on major roadways. But Mithcell says snowplows were thwarted by blowing snow that accumulated several inches an hour and devoured parts of interstate in minutes.
Both of Oklahoma's major airports were closed. And transportation officials shut down portions of two major interstates.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.