A mountain of tumbleweeds closed a US highway and buried vehicles in a phenomenon that has been dubbed “tumblegeddon”.
Local law enforcement said the invasion of roaming plant matter was 20-30 feet (6-9m) deep in places and closed State Route 240 for 10 hours on New Year’s Eve while it was cleared.
#tumblegeddon After 10 hours of SR 240 being closed last night on New Year’s Eve, it was opened around 0430 thanks to @WSDOT_East We still have one abandon car trapped in the tumbleweeds that was found at daylight, luckily no one was in it. pic.twitter.com/df7XbnqafE
— Trooper C. Thorson (@wspd3pio) January 1, 2020
Authorities had to use snowploughs to clear the tumbleweed and rescued a number of vehicles trapped by them.
The Washington State Department of Transportation tweeted: “A pretty incredible sight from SR 240 where tumbleweed closed he road for 10hours last night.
“Big thanks to our crews who worked through the night to clear roadway.”
