were 23 total storm-related deaths in western New York, with 11 in the City of Buffalo, plus seven more in the rest of Erie County, three in Wyoming County, and one each in both Niagara and Orleans counties. At least nine were found buried in cars, while others involved heart attacks while shoveling snow, and car accidents. The above-stated death tolls are listed in the USACE report on cleanup efforts in the storm, while a slightly different death toll is listed by the NWS on their Blizzard of 1977 webpage, which indicates 29 deaths resulted from the storm. The Buffalo Area Chamber of Commerce estimated a total economic loss for Erie and Niagara counties combined of US$221,490,000 for the 5.5-day period starting on January 28, with 175,000 people losing wages of US$36,250,000. An estimated $20 million or more was spent removing snow, with USACE alone spending over $6 million on contractors in western New York. Total damage reached $300 million. For 11 days, national media showed images of a city covered in snow up to roofs of houses. Equipment from Colorado, New York City and Toronto, among others, was used in the cleanup of snow. Abandoned vehicles were towed to designated parking areas, and the snow was hauled to dump areas where some remained until early May. Although March was 8 °F (4.5 °C) above normal, the snow melted gradually, so there were no significant flooding problems. Southern Ontario The entire Niagara Peninsula of Southern Ontario was significantly impacted by the blizzard, although the southern parts of the Peninsula across the Niagara River from Buffalo and extending westward along the northern edge of the frozen, snow-covered Lake Erie were hit the hardest. This was indicated by reports that the worst conditions were limited to closer to the lakeshore than in western New York. For example, compare reports in that conditions were much better inland and reports in from a military commander noting an airborne view made it clear the worst was right along the shore, with reports from western New York with snow near street-light level in well-inland Lancaster. The hardest hit coastal communities included Fort Erie, Port Colborne and Wainfleet. Areas of Southern Ontario as far away as London to the west, Kitchener to the northwest, and Toronto to the northeast also experienced high winds and blowing snow, particularly on January 28. As with western New York, the southern