Hudsonville, Mich. (Neutral Echo) — In the wake of a severe winter storm influenced by the Great Lakes, more than 100 vehicles have been involved in a massive pileup on Interstate 196. The Michigan State Police confirmed that the dramatic collision occurred on Monday morning, necessitating the closure of both directions of the highway situated southwest of Grand Rapids.

Authorities reported that multiple injuries resulted from the crash, but thankfully, no fatalities have been documented. The significant incident involved over 30 semitrailer trucks and numerous passenger vehicles, complicating emergency response efforts.

This collision underscores the broader impact of the intense winter storm sweeping across a large swath of the U.S., extending from northern Minnesota to several states in the Midwest and the Northeast. The National Weather Service has issued warnings regarding the possibility of extremely low temperatures and heavy snow across regions including Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York.

In a related observation, snow fell as far south as the Florida Panhandle, disrupting playoff football games in cities like Massachusetts and Chicago. Meteorologists suggested that overnight temperatures in parts of north-central Florida and southeast Georgia could plunge below freezing.

Michigan’s Ottawa County Sheriff’s office reported numerous crashes and jack-knifed trucks along local roads, with stranded motorists temporarily transported to Hudsonville High School to seek assistance or arrange transportation. Officials indicated that the affected section of Interstate 196 would remain closed for several hours as cleanup operations commenced.