Incredible photos show an extraordinary number of insects wreaked havoc on drivers, closing a bridge and causing accidents on the weekend.
The Aigiōhashi Bridge, which stretches over the Kiso River, connecting Gifu and Aichi Prefectures, was a scene of chaos on the weekend, as swarms of mayflies descended on the area, piling up on the road in a one-centimetre thick layer, creating a slippery surface that posed a danger to drivers.
These photos, taken when the incident occurred, on the night of Saturday 11 September, show just how treacherous driving became, with driver visibility obviously affected.
The slippery surface posed such a risk to drivers that the bridge was closed temporarily. According to officials, a rear-end collision involving several vehicles occurred on the bridge while the insects were falling in the area.
Drivers and passengers were shocked by what they saw, with many people sharing photos of the situation on Twitter.
▼ From this angle, it looked like insects were falling from the sky.
▼ At one point, the insect cover looked like snow.
Police were on hand to help guide drivers safely across the bridge. It couldn’t have been a pleasant job being out there amongst all those mayflies!
According to officials, mayfly swarms of this magnitude have not been seen in recent years. While the rear-end collision and the long traffic jam leading up to the bridge caused long delays, thankfully no injuries were reported.
Source: Hachima Kikou
Top Image: Twitter/@sslogic