NEW YORK: More than a million people in New York’s iconic Times Square exuberantly rang in 2020, as many more watched live on television while the famed ball drop marked the start of the new year.

A deafening cheer rose from the crowd as the dazzling 12-foot diameter ball covered in 2,688 Waterford Crystal triangles finished its descent at the stroke of midnight, amid a colourful celebration amid tight security.

Massive celebrations were also held in most cities across the United States.

In Times Square, the throng of revelers in the heart of Manhattan came to see an extravaganza including performances by rap-pop star Post Malone, K-pop group BTS, country singer Sam Hunt and singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette.

Many of the people in and around the square spent nearly half the day amid rain waiting for the ball drop.

Despite the bad weather, some people said they felt energized by the crowd. A few hours ahead of the midnight the rain stopped.

As always, the celebration took place under tight security, with partygoers searched at checkpoints and herded into pens ringed by metal barricades.

Thousands of police officers patrolled with the help of bomb-sniffing dogs, many security cameras and dozens of “blocker vehicles” used to stop potential vehicle attacks. The event went off safely, with no major disruptions.

-AFP