Dashcam Footage Shows Rockslide Crushing Trucks on Mountain Highway
The drivers of two trucks miraculously survived after a sudden and horrific rockslide rained down boulders on a highway in Peru.
According to CNN Chile, the incident occurred on a stretch of the Central Highway in the district of San Mateo de Huanchor. As the trucks navigated through the middle of a mountain range, dash cam footage on the truck in the rear captured the exact moment the first boulder came tumbling down the embankment, seemingly crushing the truck in front like a tin can.
Before the driver even had time to react, several more boulders came crashing down, one landing directly in front of the truck followed by another that smashed the windshield. Several more crashes can then be heard on the camera's audio before the footage cut out completely.
???????? | Se produjo el sábado deslizamiento de rocas desde las laderas de un cerro en el km 97 de la carretera Central en Perú, en el distrito de San Mateo de Huanchor. Dos camiones resultaron afectados.
— Alerta News 24 (@AlertaNews24) March 3, 2024
pic.twitter.com/5dnnGB1wXm
The front of both vehicles as well as their cargo were reportedly damaged, and although no loss of life was reported, it's unclear whether the occupants of either vehicle were seriously injured.
The crash also caused "significant damage" to the highway and destroyed part of the road. TMZ reports that it took first responders about four hours to clear the mess before traffic could get moving again. In the meantime, authorities in Peru are investigating what may have caused the rockslide, though it's believed that heavy rains the region recently experienced may have destabilized the rocky terrain.
????DERRUMBE????#DeviandesInforma Caída de piedra obstruyendo la vía ambos lados de la vía en el Km 097+800 Cacray #CarreteraCentral @PoliciaPeru se encuentra en la zona, nuestras unidades se dirigen a realizar la limpieza pic.twitter.com/1X9g9SRJnM
— Deviandes Tramo2 (@DeviandesPeru) March 2, 2024
In the United States, California has also been seeing unprecedented rains which have caused similar landslides and mudslides to destroy many homes and properties throughout the state. Some multi-million dollar homes have even been left teetering dangerously off the side of cliffs as a result.