Montana, authorities said.At least 20 vehicles crashed and Montana Highway Patrol Sgt. Jay Nelson said authorities believe the weather was the cause.“It appears as though there was heavy winds, causing a dust storm with zero visibility,” he said.While the highway patrol did not have an immediate count of the number of injuries, Nelson said additional ambulances had to be called in from Billings to help.Gov.
Greg Gianforte said on Twitter: “I’m deeply saddened by the news of a mass casualty crash near Hardin. Please join me in prayer to lift up the victims and their loved ones.
We’re grateful to our first responders for their service.”I'm deeply saddened by the news of a mass casualty crash near Hardin.
Please join me in prayer to lift up the victims and their loved ones. We're grateful to our first responders for their service.— Governor Greg Gianforte (@GovGianforte) July 16, 2022The incident happened 3 miles (5 kilometers) west of Hardin.But the dust storm’s roots can be traced back several hours, when storms popped up in central southern Montana between 1 and 2 p.m.