More than 100 vehicles were involved in a multiple crash recorded Monday morning on Interstate 196, near Grand Rapids, in the state of Michigan, as a result of the heavy snowfall that hit the region.
According to the Michigan State Police, the accident forced the total closure of the highway in both directions while relief efforts and removal of the damaged vehicles were carried out, among which were more than 30 semi-trailer trucks. Authorities reported that several people were injured, although no fatalities have been reported so far.
The mishap adds to the havoc caused by a powerful winter storm that is advancing across much of the United States. The National Weather Service issued alerts for extremely low temperatures and possible winter storms in several states, from northern Minnesota to Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York.
Extreme weather conditions were also felt in other regions of the country. A day earlier, snowfall was recorded in areas of northwest Florida, while bad weather affected football games in Massachusetts and Chicago. Meteorologists also warned of the possibility of freezing temperatures in large areas of north-central Florida and southeast Georgia overnight Monday and early Tuesday.
For its part, police in Ottawa County, Michigan, reported multiple additional road accidents and noted that a large number of cargo trucks and cars ended up off the road. Stranded motorists were taken by bus to Hudsonville High School, where they could contact family members or request transportation.
The authorities urged the population to avoid unnecessary travel and to take extreme precautions in the face of the persistence of adverse winter conditions.
