In a viral video from Cape Girardeau, Missouri, a car was violently thrown into the air after the road beneath it suddenly buckled due to extreme heat.
The incident, captured by local resident Albert Blackwell, occurred on Siemers Drive as a heatwave pushed temperatures to record highs across the U.S.
In the footage, the pavement abruptly bulges upward, launching the car momentarily off the ground before it lands back on the damaged road.
Miraculously, the driver walked away unharmed, according to the Cape Girardeau Police Department. Blackwell told USA Today: “When I went back to get a front angle of cars going over the smaller buckle, the road exploded and rose over 18 inches, sending a car airborne.”
Road buckling, also known as “thermal expansion,” occurs when prolonged high temperatures cause pavement materials to expand beyond their limits.
Cape Girardeau officials confirmed that multiple roads, including Broadway and Siemers Drive, had buckled during the heatwave. Temporary repairs were made, but full reconstruction will be needed later.
This incident highlights how U.S. infrastructure faces increasing challenges from extreme weather events.
