National Guard Canvassing Houses In Buffalo Looking For Fatalities As Death Toll Rises to 34

The National Guard is going door-to-door in Buffalo, N.Y., searching for victims of the city's deadliest blizzard in decades.

County Executive Mark Poloncarz said in a news conference officials are "fearful that there are individuals who may have perished, living alone, or people not doing well."

"The National Guard will be doing door-to-door wellness checks for every home in areas that lost power," he posted on Twitter.

The death toll has risen to 34 as of Wednesday after the blizzard on Friday and Saturday in western New York. The last blizzard to cause a similarly high death toll was in 1977, which killed 29 residents.

The National Guard said it would canvas alongside other county authorities over the next 48 hours as temperatures warm. According to the National Weather Service, temperatures are expected to rise into the mid-40s on Wednesday and the low 50s by Friday.

Military police are still enforcing the city's driving ban as officials worked to clear storm drains and watched a forecast that calls for some rain later in the week, said The Associated Press.

"If you have a loved one that you know is missing, please contact your local police department," Poloncarz said of the two John Does and one Jane Doe found during the ongoing search.