Watch: Car Becomes Airborne After Road Buckles Under Extreme Heat In US

A video from the US state of Missouri has gone viral on social media after a car was caught airborne when a road buckled under extreme heat. The incident took place in Cape Girardeau and showcased the unforgiving heatwave conditions that have persisted in most US states this summer.

The footage recorded by a local man, Albert Blackwell, according to a report in USA Today, showed a portion of Siemers Drive in the western part of the city suddenly snap, sending the car violently forward.

The car was briefly airborne before landing on the damaged road. Fortunately, the Cape Girardeau Police Department confirmed that the driver was not injured.

"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," Mr Blackwell told the publication.

Subsequently, the city administration released a statement, warning citizens about the dangerous road segment.

"Both Broadway and Siemers buckled in this heat wave. Thank you to the crews for managing traffic and the temporary fix on Seimers. We will return to temporary street patches to complete a full repair," read the statement.

"Please drive carefully and be mindful of city workers who will be out repairing streets. Stay safe out there!"

Social media reacts

Reacting to the video, social media users expressed surprise with a section questioning if the road maintenance was not done properly.

"How hot was it that a huge bump like that appeared?" said one user, while another added: "Right in front of a car dealership, eh? What are the odds?"

A third added: "Do you know how unlucky you have to be for this to happen to you? I would've just went back home and took a nap."

Video captured the moment a road buckled and sent a car flying as a heatwave impacted Missouri on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/wPVLrk3XZY

— AccuWeather (@accuweather) June 23, 2025

Also Read | Ex-Wall Street Trader Turns Tutor, Earns Rs 86,000 Per Hour Working From Home

Heatwave conditions in US

Major US cities like New York, Washington DC, Kansas City, Detroit, Philadelphia, and others have issued heatwave advisories in recent days as the heat index shot up. Residents have been advised not to venture out in the sun and instead stay at home or go to cooling centres, public libraries and other places with air conditioning if they do not have access to air conditioners.

Meteorologists are describing the intensifying weather pattern as a heat dome, a high-pressure system that traps air and leads to steadily rising temperatures. Extreme heat is the deadliest weather-related hazard in the United States, leading to more fatalities than natural disasters like hurricanes or tornadoes.