Six people have died and a number of others are injured after a dust storm caused a 21-car pile up on a highway in Montana on Friday when the storm drastically reduced visibility.
Winds blowing at more than 60 miles per hour drove the dust storm that led to 21 vehicles crashing on Interstate 90, while the number of people injured is not yet clear.
"It appears as though there was heavy winds, causing a dust storm with zero visibility," said Montana Highway Patrol Sgt. Jay Nelson.
Extra ambulances were brought from Billings, Montana to help cope with the situation, which occurred three miles west of Hardin in the state's Big Horn County.
Montana Governor Greg Gianforte tweeted: "I'm deeply saddened by the news of a mass casualty crash near Hardin. Please join me in prayer to lift up the victims and their loved ones. We're grateful to our first responders for their service."
Scientists have previously warned that climate change will create conditions that potentially exacerbate dust storms. The storms happen when strong winds blow through dry areas, meaning that drought brought on by rising global temperatures can play a role.
The tragedy in Montana comes after more than 100 million Americans were affected by a heatwave in mid-June and were warned to remain indoors amid high temperatures and high humidity.
That heatwave saw several temperature records set in different parts of the U.S. over the weekend of June 11 to 12. It was followed by a second heatwave, which involved heat alerts for more than nine million people across eight different states on June 20.
And on July 11 Texans were asked to conserve power amid a heatwave as the state's power grid operator warned of potential rolling blackouts.
There has been ongoing concern about dust storms both in the U.S. and elsewhere due to rising global temperatures.
Utah's Great Salt Lake fell to its lowest recorded level ever on July 14 and prompted renewed concerns about dust storms in the region. The lake is the largest salt lake in the Americas and the 8th largest in the world. Its levels have been recorded since 1847.
"To save the Great Salt Lake, so that we don't become Dust Lake City, is to make a conscious choice that the lake is valuable and that the lake needs to have water put into it," atmospheric scientist Kevin Perry told Reuters earlier this month.
Salt Lake City already experiences dust storms and experts are concerned they could get worse.
The problem is not confined to the U.S., however, as dust storms in April and May this year affected several Middle Eastern nations, while Spain was affected by a major dust storm in March.
Sara Basart, lead scientist at the Barcelona Dust Regional Center, told Bloomberg on June 6: "We are seeing an unusual number of sand storms, and of unusual intensity."
"Dust is not just a matter of public health anymore — it can bring a region's economic activity to a halt if concentrations are high enough," Basart said.
The Barcelona Dust Regional Center co-ordinates research into sand and dust storms in Europe, Northern Africa and the Middle East for the World Meteorological Organization.
Europe is also currently experiencing a heatwave with at least 281 deaths in Portugal and Spain being attributed to the heat. The U.K. has declared a national emergency due to high temperatures there.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Darragh Roche is a U.S. News Reporter based in Limerick, Ireland. His focus is reporting on U.S. politics. He has ... Read more
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