Over 60 vehicles involved: Dust storm causes deadly pile-up in USA

A large dust storm closed nearly 30 miles of highway in central Illinois, USA Monday afternoon as visibility dropped and a multi-vehicle pile-up occurred.

A large late-season winter storm is hitting the northeast of the US. While Illinois avoided its snow and rain, gusting winds still provided harsh conditions. A dust storm closed Interstate 55 in both directions Monday afternoon as a result of these winds.

A pile-up, with reported deaths and injuries, is a result of the lowered visibility in the dust. As many as 20 commercial vehicles and up to 60 passenger cars were involved in the crash.

Two HGVs caught fire amid the storm, adding smoke to the already dusty air.

Winds had been gusting out of the northwest between 40 and 50 mph. With farmers prepping their fields for planting, the dry winds lifted the loose dirt from the surrounding fields and sent it flying across the motorway, causing the dust storm.

The dust storm occurred just before lunch local time. Traffic that was not involved in the pile-up was diverted onto a local roadway.

Some strong winds remain on Tuesday. Keep an eye on wind conditions in the US, UK, Ireland, or anywhere you want to see around the world on our WindRadar.