A gust of wind sweeps over bare soil, kicking up enough dirt and dust to cut visibility to nearly zero, and for drivers, the dust storm seems to come out of nowhere.Such conditions resulted in a pileup on Interstate 70 last week in western Kansas involving dozens of cars and trucks that left eight people dead.

A Barrington native who was on her way back to visit family in the suburbs said it's a miracle she and her partner survived being caught in a Kansas dust storm highway pileup involving more than 70 vehicles.

The number of fatalities increased after the Kansas Highway Patrol reported eight people died in a highway pileup caused by a dust storm Friday in Sherman County. At least 50 vehicles were involved.