DESERT STORM

Utah Sandstorm Leaves at Least Seven Dead in 20-Car Pileup

High winds whipped up desert sand, blinding drivers traveling on Interstate 15 between Salt Lake City and St. George, Utah.

At least seven people are dead and several others injured after high winds kicked up sand and dust along Interstate 15 in Millard County, Utah, Sunday afternoon. At least 20 cars were involved in the fatal pileup after cars stopped suddenly along the busy highway. Law enforcement authorities did not know exactly how many people had been sent to the hospital. “No one could see, so people started stopping, and then you just get a chain reaction,” Andrew Battenfield, a spokesman for Utah Highway Patrol, told reporters. “Nobody could see, and then all of a sudden, you’re slamming into a car. It’s just a horrific situation.” Battenfield said the highway would be closed “for a significant time.”