Another'superfog' event in Louisiana causes accidents and one death

Early Tuesday morning northeast of New Orleans near the Irish Bayou, wildfire smoke from nearby marsh fires and heavy fog created a “superfog” event that reduced visibility on Interstate-10.

In an emailed statement, the New Orleans Police Department reported multiple accidents and one fatality. Multiple victims were hospitalized, and I-10 was closed in both directions.

Drivers were overwhelmed by poor visibility from 4 to 7 a.m. local time, making conditions undriveable within minutes. The National Weather Service advised eastern New Orleans and southeast St. Tammany parishes to stay off the roads due to dense fog through 10 a.m.

The National Weather Service reported that the fog and smoke cleared by 11 a.m., but haze lingered. This was the second superfog near New Orleans in two weeks. The first late October crash killed seven and injured dozens in 158 vehicles.

Extreme drought, expected to last into winter, is worsening wildfires and increasing the risk of “superfog” events.