A 40-mile stretch of Interstate 70 is closed in both directions between just west of Topeka to the Manhattan exit.

The closure from mile marker 353 in Shawnee County to mile marker 313 in Riley County is due to a 25-vehicle pile up that’s been blamed on the winter storm.

Kansas Highway Patrol confirmed one fatality in the 40-car pile up this afternoon.

Other injuries have been reported, but the severity is currently unknown, according to a Kansas Highway Patrol official.

Mile marker 313 is the Manhattan/Council Grove exit at Kansas Highway 177. Mile marker 353 is the exit at West Kansas Highway 4 and Auburn Road. The Highway 4 exit is just west of the Interstate 470 and I-70 interchange on Topeka’s west side.

Eastbound traffic is detoured to K-177 then across to U.S. Highway 24.

Westbound traffic is detoured to US-75 then across to U.S. 24.

Roads are snow packed and hazardous, according to a Kansas Department of Transportation official, who said multiple vehicles are off road in many locations.

KDOT is advising drivers to stay off roads.

Currently, KDOT crews are plowing and treating roads with a salt/sand mixture.

Blowing snow and poor visibility are creating extremely hazardous conditions on roads for drivers and making it very difficult for maintenance crews to keep roads cleared, according to a KDOT official.

More details as they develop.