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At least six people were killed Friday when a dust storm with winds of about 60 miles per hour hit a Montana highway, causing a lot of vehicles, according to authorities.
The crash on Interstate 90 on the outskirts of Hardin, Mont., Involved 21 vehicles, including six semi-trucks, Sgt. Jay Nelson, a spokesman for the Montana Highway Patrol, told the Associated Press. Ambulances were sent from as far away as Billings, Mont., About 50 miles away.
The video posted on social media shows interstate-strewn vehicles, including 18-wheeled vehicles that appeared to have crashed into vehicles or veered off average.
Authorities believe a “rapid dust storm” eventually sparked the buildup. “It looks like there are strong winds, causing a dust storm with zero visibility,” Nelson said.
A summary of the National Weather Service storm showed wind gusts of up to 64 mph in Hardin around 4pm local time on Friday.
The names and ages of the dead had not been released until early Saturday. Authorities said there were also injuries in the crowd, but no exact details were given.
Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) wrote on Twitter that he was “deeply saddened by the news of a massive casualty crash near Hardin.”
“Please join me in prayer to lift the victims and their loved ones,” he wrote. “We are grateful to our first managers for their service.”
I am deeply saddened by the news of a mass casualty accident near Hardin. Please join me in praying to lift the victims and their loved ones. We are grateful to our first managers for their service.
– Governor Greg Gianforte (@GovGianforte) July 16, 2022
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen (R), who oversees the Montana Highway Patrol, said in a statement on Facebook that the agency and senior officials were investigating the incident.
“We will publish more information as it becomes available and is appropriate out of respect for lost lives and their loved ones,” Knudsen said. “My prayers are with all those affected by the tragic events during the dust storm in Big Horn County today.”
Friday afternoon storms caused strong wind warnings in the Billings area, according to the Meteorological Service. On Friday, the National Weather Service issued warnings and warnings of severe storms for south and southeastern Montana.
The storms produced rising winds known as outbursts that were sent to Hardin. In addition to gusts of wind, meteorologists had predicted a possible quarter-sized isolated hail and frequent lightning.
“This exit can’t be seen on the radar, so take the right actions now to be prepared for the weather!” tweeted the National Meteorological Service.
Strong winds from one exit could affect parts of SE MT and Sheridan County, WY, over the next two hours. This output stream cannot be seen on the radar, so take the right actions now to be prepared for the weather! #mtwx #wywx pic.twitter.com/KQMr1Q8VWX
– NWS Billings (@NWSBillings) July 15, 2022
The crashes began around 4:50 p.m. Friday local time, according to a Montana Department of Transportation incident map. Traffic was cut off for hours on I-90 eastbound and the west side of the interstate was reduced to one lane.
Nick Vertz, a meteorologist with the Billings Meteorological Service, told the AP that winds of this nature could catch dust easily, making visibility difficult quickly.
“If they looked at the sky while they were at Hardin, they probably wouldn’t see much of what would be thought of for a storm cloud, maybe not even anything,” Vertz said. “It was just a wave of wind that came out of nowhere.”