AUSTIN, Texas — A rockslide caused a temporary closure on a major Austin road overnight into Friday morning.
According to the Austin Police Department (APD), the incident happened just before midnight, near FM 2222 and North Capital of Texas Highway southbound, not far from the Pennybacker Bridge.
Officers blocked access to the area at approximately 11:30 p.m. Thursday until crews arrived on scene to clean debris and fallen rocks.
The roadway was reopened at approximately 2:30 a.m. Friday.
No injuries have been reported.
No additional information is available at this time.
What causes a rockslide?
This week, Central Texas saw an increase in rain and flooding in some areas. When this happens, rockslides, also called landslides, can occur.
Rainfall can cause weakness to soil and rocks sitting on top of slopes, causing debris to fall to the ground as a result.
Landslides happen across all 50 U.S. states, though they are particularly common throughout the Rocky Mountains, Appalachian Mountains, parts of the Pacific Coast and in Alaska and Hawaii.
If rainy weather continues in Central Texas, rockslides like these risk becoming more common.