Highway collapsed in MS from Hurricane Ida’s aftermath

In George County, Mississippi, rains from Hurricane Ida damage the roadbed under Mississippi Highway 26. A collapse sent motorists plunging into a 20-foot deep, 50-foot wide hole late Monday night.

The state road agency is also attempting to determine what repairs will be necessary to reopen the road, which connects George with Pearl River County.

Workers are moving utility lines - such as power and water lines - as well as fiber optic cables. During repairs, the ground beneath the roadway will have to be accessed to gauge the amount of soil, granular material, and asphalt required.

Highway 57 or 63, to Interstate 10 for southbound traffic, and Mississippi Highway 98 for northbound traffic, are the official detour routes around the cave-in.

To ensure public safety, MDOT is asking people to stay away from the area until the road is repaired.

Drone photos show a section of Highway 26 in Benndale, MS having collapsed due to heavy rains from Hurricane Ida late Monday night.

Article Courtesy: Anita Lee │ Photojournalist Travis Long contributed to this report.

Bio of Anita Lee

Mississippi native Anita Lee graduated with a journalism degree from the University of Southern Mississippi and previously worked at the Jackson Daily News and Virginian-Pilot, joining the Sun Herald in 1987. She specializes in in-depth coverage of government, public corruption, transparency and courts. She has won state, regional and national journalism awards, most notably contributing to Hurricane Katrina coverage awarded the 2006 Pulitzer Prize in Public Service.