cape girardeau missouri road
Share and Follow

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KTVI) – A video circulating on social media shows a road in Missouri buckling under this weekend’s intense heat, causing a car to briefly go airborne.

The video, taken on Sunday by Albert Blackwell, shows several cars passing over what first appears to be a small bump on the road in the city of Cape Girardeau. Later in the video, the bump has visibly grown. Then, as one car passes on the other side, the road suddenly shifts and buckles just a split second before another car reaches it, sending the vehicle into the air.

cape girardeau missouri road
A car is seen briefly going airborne after a road in Missouri buckled under intense heat. (Albert Blackwell via Storyful)

“[T]he road exploded and rose over 18 inches,” Blackwell said, in part, in a statement obtained by Storyful.

Roads can crack, buckle, or warp in extreme heat, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation. MoDOT told affiliate KTVI in a former report that this happens when moisture seeps into a crack in the roadway, forcing the crack to grow and expand. The pavement gets to be weaker from the crack, and the heat then causes the road to buckle and warp.

MoDOT says it never truly knows when or where a pavement buckle may occur, but it’s more likely when it’s hot outside.

Much of the country was sweltering under intense heat on Sunday, with temperatures of 90 degrees F or higher estimated to affect roughly 245 million Americans as the heat wave continued into Monday. Almost 10% of the country will feel blistering 100-degree heat on Tuesday, a meteorologist who spoke with the Associated Press predicted.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Victoria and David Beckham let their hair down in style

Victoria and David Beckham Enjoy a Glamorous Night Out: A Peek into Their Stylish Evening

On Tuesday night, Sir David Beckham marked his knighthood with a lavish…
Boy, 15, kills classmate, 16, after hallway bump and dispute, cops say

Teen Tragedy: Hallway Dispute Turns Deadly for High School Students

In Florida, a tragic incident unfolded when a high school student fatally…
Driver ploughs in to crowd of people on French holiday island

Car Accident Shocks French Holiday Island as Vehicle Hits Crowd

This morning, a driver reportedly shouting “Allahu Akbar” drove into a group…
Bob Walser votes while a shopper walks past at the Checkers grocery store in Lawrence, Kan., Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

AP Voter Poll Reveals Economy as Top Concern for 2025 Election

WASHINGTON (AP) — As voters headed to the polls on Tuesday, economic…
Hunter survives nearly 3 weeks stranded in California wilderness after truck gets stuck

Miraculous Survival: How a Hunter Defied the Odds for 3 Weeks in California’s Wilderness

An experienced hunter, who was lost in the California wilderness for 20…
Cyclists survives 130-foot fall

Miraculous Survival: 77-Year-Old Cyclist Rescued After 130-Foot Ravine Plunge, Sustained by Red Wine

A 77-year-old cyclist is on the mend after a dramatic 130-foot fall…
California voters pass Newsom’s redistricting effort Proposition 50

Californians Approve Proposition 50: A Win for Newsom’s Redistricting Plan

California voters have given the green light to Proposition 50, as announced…
Rich New Yorkers freaking out after Zohran Mamdani's win

Rich New Yorkers in a Frenzy: What Zohran Mamdani’s Victory Means for NYC’s Elite

In the wake of Zohran Mamdani’s decisive mayoral victory, affluent residents of…