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One Dead, Dozens Wounded After Medusa Festival’s Main Stage Collapsed
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One person died and 40 others needed medical attention in the early hours of Saturday, when violent winds hit the Spanish music festival Medusa. Disaster struck when strong gusts of wind caused parts of the fest’s main stage to fall apart.
Footage shows how a sudden sand storm damaged the festival’s infrastructure, making big chunks of the stage collapse. While strong winds battered the festival’s grounds, attendees were running in panic, trying to shield their eyes from the sandstorm.
Local media outlets reported that the deceased man was only 22 years old.
Three of the injured festival-goers suffered severe traumas, according to the BBC.
Among them is a 19-year-old girl awaiting surgery for her broken spine.
Violent winds exceeding 80km/h (50mph) ripped through the Cullera area, near Valencia, where the Medusa Festival took place.
Spain’s meteorological state agency AEMET reported bad weather conditions on the country’s eastern coast.
The Cullera City Council assures the festival had “all the administrative permits”.
50,000 people were attending the dance music festival when the meteorological hazard hit.
The stage wasn’t the only victim of the dry storm. Other structures, including Medusa festival’s main entry, also fell to the ground due to the strong winds.
The six-day festival, where David Guetta was due to perform on Saturday night, cancelled its remaining dates.
In a statement released on social media, the festival’s management officially cancelled Medusa, expressing their condolences to those affected by the unexpected weather conditions.
“It has always been an absolute priority for us to the safety of our attendees at our event,” the statement said.
“The adverse and unexpected weather conditions that were predicted continue to happen throughout the day force us morally and responsibly to end our 2022 edition.”
NEWSLETTER
