Massive Crashes on Texas Highway Amid Blinding Dust

"Do not come out here, anybody!"

Those are the chilling words the cameraman speaks in the video at the bottom of this article.

A powerful dust storm swept across the Texas Panhandle today, turning a stretch of I-27 outside Amarillo, Texas into a scene of destruction as multiple major accidents shut down the highway. High winds carried thick clouds of dust, reducing visibility to near zero and leaving drivers with little time to react.

Officials say several cars and big trucks were involved in the wrecks. Emergency crews rushed to the scene to help, but it’s still unclear how many people were hurt. The thick dust made driving almost impossible, and many people didn’t have time to react before slamming into other vehicles.

Texas highway crashes as dust and high winds cut visibility

Weather experts had already warned that strong winds of up to and over 50 miles per hour were coming. When winds that powerful blow over dry land, they pick up loose dirt and turn it into a massive, blinding cloud. People in the Texas Panhandle sometimes call this a “blackout dust storm” because it blocks out everything, making it impossible to see.

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Crews should soon be working to clear the wreckage and get the highway back open. In the meantime, officials are telling drivers to stay away from the area and be extra careful when traveling in windy conditions. For now, drivers in the Texas Panhandle will have to stay alert and hope the wind dies down soon.

Check out the video below:

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