Death toll from US snow storm rises to 19: Officials

District of Columbia: At least 19 people have died in six states as a result of the monster snow storm battering the eastern United States, officials said Saturday.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio confirmed three people died shoveling snow, while officials in North Carolina said six people died in road accidents. Virginia and Kentucky each reported two fatalities, and one person died in both Maryland and Arkansas.

"It`s a reminder to everyone -- do not overexert, particularly folks having any kind of health challenges," De Blasio told CNN.

The storm -- dubbed Snowzilla -- clobbered a large swath of the eastern US, dumping near-record amounts of snow on Washington, New York and other major cities.