Death toll from blinding dust storm crashes in Illinois rises to 8

Springfield: The death toll from numerous crashes on Interstate 55 that occurred amid a blinding dust storm has risen to eight, a coroner said on Wednesday.

Ruth Rau, 81, of Sorento, who was a passenger in a car that crashed in the May 1 dust storm, died of blunt force injuries on Tuesday night at a Springfield hospital, Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon said.

The crashes involved a total of 72 vehicles, with at least 37 people taken to hospitals.

High winds had kicked up dangerous clouds of blinding dust off farm fields, police have said.

The crashes closed I-55 in both directions in Montgomery County, 75 miles (120 kilometres) north of St Louis. Governor J B Pritzker described the scene as horrific.

Winds at the time were gusting between 35 mph (56 kmph) and 45 mph (74 kmph), the National Weather Service said. (AP)