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At least seven people have been killed in an accident in dense fog involving 158 vehicles in the US state of Louisiana. At least 25 people were injured, some seriously. They were taken to hospitals on Monday (local time) after the massive clash west of New Orleans.
It’s possible there will be more fatalities, state police said. Part of the accident site on Interstate 55 caught fire, partly because a tanker truck loaded with a hazardous liquid caught fire. Once the vehicle has been recovered, the situation can be better assessed.
“Incredibly dense supernebula”
Photos released by police show a debris field of wrecked and crashed cars on either side of the track. The highway section runs between Lake Maurepas and Lake Pontchartrain. According to CNN, at the time of the massive collision on Monday morning, meteorologists spoke of a “super fog” that severely obscured visibility between the communities of Ruddock and Manchac.
The “incredibly thick fog” was caused by a combination of fog and smoke from nearby fires, according to the National Weather Service. The “super fog” is a particularly dense fog that develops in humid, smoky conditions and can reduce visibility to less than 10 feet, according to the National Weather Service.
Unprecedented forest fires
There were several accidents, CNN reported. In one, several trucks collided and caught fire, said Saint John the Baptist Parish sheriff Mike Tregre. A vehicle was pushed over the guardrail on the highway, but the occupants appeared okay. The rescue efforts would likely “take a while.”
Louisiana has been struggling with unprecedented wildfires, extreme heat and severe drought since the summer. Sixty-two percent of the state is experiencing exceptional drought, the highest category, CNN reported. The city of New Orleans said the lack of rain combined with the summer’s extreme heat had dried up wetlands and lowered groundwater levels. A fire tracked in forested wetlands rages on and below the surface. (SDA/kes)
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
