At least two people are dead after vehicles fell into a pit where a highway in Mississippi collapsed Monday night, outlets reported.
State troopers, emergency and rescue teams responded to the incident and discovered that the east and westbound lanes of Highway 26 had collapsed, according to WDSU-TV. Mississippi Highway Patrol Cp. Cal Robertson said the hole created by the collapse is about 50 to 60 feet across, and 20 to 30 feet deep, WDSU-TV reported. Beyond the two deceased, at least ten others were injured, but authorities have not yet released their identities and conditions, The Associated Press (AP) reported.
Two killed, 10 injured in Mississippi highway collapse in Ida aftermath https://t.co/8MD8hvmUe0 pic.twitter.com/K4wuSUktim
— New York Post (@nypost) August 31, 2021
Robertson theorized that the drivers may not have seen the road collapse as they drove along Highway 26 on Monday night, according to WDSU-TV. “Some of these cars are stacked on top of each other,” Robertson added. In total, seven vehicles fell into the hole, and a crane was brought in to lift them out, the AP noted.
We’re seeing reports of a highway collapse in southern Mississippi along HIghway 26 east from Benndale. Authorities believe this is directly related to the flash flooding brought on by #Ida. pic.twitter.com/dVvTgpJclL
— WeatherNation (@WeatherNation) August 31, 2021
Authorities believe the collapse may have been caused by Hurricane Ida, which the National Weather Service said brought more than eight inches of rain to the area where the road collapsed, according to the AP. The Category 4 storm was one of the most powerful storms to hit the U.S. mainland, causing power outages, wind damage and even had the power to temporarily reverse the flow of the Mississippi river, the AP reported. (RELATED: Daylight Shows Full Damage Of Hurricane Ida As More Than 1 Million People Left Without Power)