A freak infestation of tumbleweed brought traffic to a standstill on a Washington State road. The tangled branches stopped several cars and engulfed others, trapping motorists. Reports suggest one of the stricken vehicles was an 18-wheel lorry. US state troopers and fire crews worked to clear the motorway, ultimately using a snow plough to fight their way through the mass of twigs that had built up, finally giving those who couldn't escape the opportunity to exit their vehicles. The road was closed for about 10 hours in both directions before reopening in the early hours of the morning. State trooper Chris Thorson revealed what was happening on his Twitter account, referring to the event as #tumblegeddon. Estimates suggested that some of the piles were between six, and nine-metres high. No one was hurt during #tumblegeddon, but one driver reported that she'd swerved to avoid the infestation when it first appeared and her car had ended up in a ditch. Tumbleweed is regarded as a nuisance in many urban areas around the world, but it remains a relatively unusual phenomenon in Washington State.
