Photos: Flash flood collapses interstate bridge

Nation & World News

The I-10 bridge that washed out in the desert between Los Angeles and Phoenix easily withstood its daily load of thousands of cars and trucks, but the pounding of a flash flood scoured away the land where the bridge was anchored

A worker walks near a washed-out bridge near the town of Desert Center, along Interstate 10 in Southern California, on Monday, July 20, 2015. All traffic along one of the major highways connecting California and Arizona was blocked indefinitely when the bridge over a desert wash collapsed during a major storm, and the roadway in the opposite direction sustained severe damage. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

Damage is seen from a washed-out bridge near the town of Desert Center along Interstate 10 in Southern California, Monday, July 20, 2015. All traffic along one of the major highways connecting California and Arizona was blocked indefinitely when the bridge over a desert wash collapsed during a major storm, and the roadway in the opposite direction sustained severe damage. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

Riverside County Supervisor John J. Benoit walks along a riverbed by a collapsed bridge that was washed out along Interstate 10 in Southern California on Monday, July 20, 2015. All traffic along I-10 one of the major highways connecting California and Arizona was blocked indefinitely when the bridge over a desert wash collapsed during a major storm, and the roadway in the opposite direction sustained severe damage. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

Mike Ristic, senior Transportation Engineer for California Department of Transportation, inspects a collapsed bridge that was washed out along Interstate 10 in Southern California, Monday, July 20, 2015. All traffic along one of the major highways connecting California and Arizona was blocked indefinitely when the bridge over a desert wash collapsed during a major storm, and the roadway in the opposite direction sustained severe damage. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

Riverside County Supervisor John J. Benoit talks to the media about a collapsed bridge that was washed out along Interstate 10 in Southern California, Monday, July 20, 2015. All traffic along one of the major highways connecting California and Arizona was blocked indefinitely when the bridge over a desert wash collapsed during a major storm, and the roadway in the opposite direction sustained severe damage. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

Damage is seen from a washed-out bridge near the town of Desert Center, Calif., along Interstate I-10, Monday, July 20, 2015. All traffic along one of the major highways connecting California and Arizona was blocked indefinitely when the bridge over a desert wash collapsed during a major storm, and the roadway in the opposite direction sustained severe damage. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

Inspectors for the California Department of Transportation inspect a west bound bridge for damage next to the bridge that was washed out along Interstate 10 in Southern California, Monday, July 20, 2015. All traffic along one of the major highways connecting California and Arizona was blocked indefinitely when the bridge over a desert wash collapsed during a major storm, and the roadway in the opposite direction sustained severe damage. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

This aerial photo shows the collapsed elevated section of Interstate 10, Monday, July 20, 2015, in Desert Center, Calif. All traffic along one of the major highways connecting California and Arizona was blocked indefinitely when the bridge over a desert wash collapsed during a major storm, and the roadway in the opposite direction sustained severe damage. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Riverside County Supervisor John J. Benoit takes a photo of a collapsed bridge that was washed out along Interstate 10 in Southern California, Monday, July 20, 2015. All traffic along one of the major highways connecting California and Arizona was blocked indefinitely when the bridge over a desert wash collapsed during a major storm, and the roadway in the opposite direction sustained severe damage. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

In this photo provided by the CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department, waters rush under an the elevated portion westbound Interstate 10 as emergency crews respond to the collapse of the eastbound section, Sunday, July 19, 2015, in Desert Center, Calif. The bridge, which carries the eastbound interstate about 15 feet above a normally dry wash, snapped and ended up in the flooding water below, the California Highway Patrol said, blocking all traffic headed toward Arizona. (Chief Geoff Pemberton/CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire via AP)

A collapsed elevated section of Interstate 10 is seen from the air, Monday, July 20, 2015, in Desert Center, Calif. All traffic along one of the major highways connecting California and Arizona was blocked indefinitely when the bridge over a desert wash collapsed during a major storm, and the roadway in the opposite direction sustained severe damage. (AP Photo/Matt York)

In this photo provided by the CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department, emergency crews respond after a pickup truck crashed into the collapse of an elevated section of Interstate 10, Sunday, July 19, 2015, in Desert Center, Calif. The bridge, which carries the eastbound interstate about 15 feet above a normally dry wash, snapped and ended up in the flooding water below, the California Highway Patrol said, blocking all traffic headed toward Arizona. (Chief Geoff Pemberton/CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire via AP)

In this photo provided by the CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department, emergency crews help a driver after their pickup truck crashed into the collapse of an elevated section of Interstate 10, Sunday, July 19, 2015, in Desert Center, Calif. The bridge, which carries the eastbound interstate about 15 feet above a normally dry wash, snapped and ended up in the flooding water below, the California Highway Patrol said, blocking all traffic headed toward Arizona. (Chief Geoff Pemberton/CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire via AP)

California Highway Patrol vehicles block a section of Interstate 10 between Coachella, Calif., and the Arizona border where Sunday's flash floods washed out a bridge over a desert wash. (Don Bartletti/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

California Department of Transportation inspectors look over a bridge on Interstate 10 between Coachella, Calif., and the Arizona border that washed out during Sunday's flash flood. (Don Bartletti/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

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A worker walks near a washed-out bridge near the town of Desert Center, along Interstate 10 in Southern California, on Monday, July 20, 2015. All traffic along one of the major highways connecting California and Arizona was blocked indefinitely when the bridge over a desert wash collapsed during a major storm, and the roadway in the opposite direction sustained severe damage. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

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