Two dead, 80 hurt in 140-plus car pile-up in Texas

TWO people are dead and more than 80 have been hurt with at least 140 vehicles colliding on a Texas highway in dense fog.

The mass pileup left trucks twisted on top of each other and authorities rushing to pull survivors from the wreckage.

"It is catastrophic,'' said Jefferson County Sheriff's Office Deputy Rod Carroll.

"I've got cars on top of cars.''

The Thanksgiving holiday morning crash happened on Interstate 10 about 130 kilometres east of Houston.

According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, a crash on the eastbound side of the highway led to other accidents in a dangerous chain reaction. There were multiple crashes on the other side of the highway as well.

An emergency worker walks past a pile of cars from the 100-vehicle accident in south-east Texas. (AP)