High winds caused at least two semi-trucks to rollover on I-65 in northwest Indiana Friday afternoon, prompting authorities to ask drivers to avoid the interstate.
Wind gusts of up to 60 miles per hour were expected in northern Indiana and potentially even higher across the Chicago area throughout the day.
“Current high winds have caused two semi rollovers on I-65,” Indiana State Police Sergeant Glen Fifield said in a post on social media around 1:42 p.m. CT. The strongest gusts in Indiana were expected between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. CT.
All lanes of southbound I-65 were closed south of Illinois Route 10 for one rollover, Fifield said. Traffic was diverted at and before Route 10.
An Indiana Department of Transportation traffic camera on I-65 showed traffic stopped for the closure near Mile Point 220.
The closure caused traffic to be backed up from Route 10 for roughly two miles to the Kankakee Rest Area, located at 11470 N 600 E in De Motte, Indiana, according to Total Traffic around 2:30 p.m.
Another rollover occurred on northbound I-65 near Illinois Route 2, though the semi-truck ended up in a ditch so traffic was able to get by slowly, Fifield said.
“Avoid I-65 if possible,” Fifield said.
An Indiana Department of Transportation traffic camera on I-65 showed heavy traffic in the southbound lanes of I-65 at Route 10 around 2 p.m.
At least three wind-related crashes were reported earlier in the day in LaPorte County, with sheriff’s deputies on responding to several semi-trucks blown onto their side.
The La Porte County Sheriff’s Office said their deputies responded to a crash on U.S. 421 south of CR 800 South around 11 a.m.
About 20 minutes later, authorities said deputies were investigating two additional crashes, one in the area of Young Road and the other CR 1500 South.
La Porte County Sheriff’s Department said the cause of all three crashes was wind related.
Deputies said the winds near all three earlier crashes were between 34 mph and 54 mph.
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from NBC Chicago https://ift.tt/jgn1CtQ
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