By Matthew Roscoe • Updated: 13 Aug 2022 • 10:32
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UPDATE 10.31 am (August 13) – Valencian Community President Ximo Puig tweeted following the Medusa Festival tragedy: “A terrible accident that shocks us all.
“I want to convey my deepest condolences to the family and friends of the young man who died this morning at the Medusa Festival in Cullera. We closely follow the evolution of the wounded.”
Un terrible accidente que nos conmociona a todos.Quiero trasladar mi más sentido pésame a la familia y amigos del joven fallecido esta madrugada en el Medusa Festival de Cullera. Seguimos con atención la evolución de los heridos.https://t.co/DNlktXmDar — Ximo Puig (@ximopuig) August 13, 2022
Un terrible accidente que nos conmociona a todos.Quiero trasladar mi más sentido pésame a la familia y amigos del joven fallecido esta madrugada en el Medusa Festival de Cullera.
Seguimos con atención la evolución de los heridos.https://t.co/DNlktXmDar
— Ximo Puig (@ximopuig) August 13, 2022
According to EFE, Spain’s Guardia Civil has opened an investigation to determine the causes of the death of a 22-year-old man at the Cullera Medusa Festival, who was hit by part of the stage after being detached by a strong gust of wind.
Earlier the news outlet reported that the man was 28.
The Provincial Command of Valencia reported that both the main entrance of the venue and a part of the main stage fell to the ground. This led to the death of the young man and injured several others.
Prior to the incident, the AEMET (Spain’s State Meteorological Agency) tweeted a weather update for Valencia which included “very strong gusts of winds:
“Warm blowouts are taking place that are leaving very strong gusts of wind and sudden rises in temperature. 40.5 ºC at 3 in the morning at the Alicante-Elche airport with a wind speed of 82 km/h.”
Se están produciendo reventones cálidos que están dejando rachas muy fuertes de viento y bruscos ascensos de temperatura. 40.5 ºC a las 3 de la madrugada en el aeropuerto de Alicante-Elche con viento de 82 km/h. pic.twitter.com/XX8Tf5SIqL — AEMET_C. Valenciana (@AEMET_CValencia) August 13, 2022
Se están produciendo reventones cálidos que están dejando rachas muy fuertes de viento y bruscos ascensos de temperatura. 40.5 ºC a las 3 de la madrugada en el aeropuerto de Alicante-Elche con viento de 82 km/h. pic.twitter.com/XX8Tf5SIqL
— AEMET_C. Valenciana (@AEMET_CValencia) August 13, 2022
ORIGINAL 7.39 am (August 13) – One person has died and more than seventeen people have been injured at the Medusa Festival in Valencia’s Cullera (Spain) after strong gusts of wind destroyed parts of the main stage.
Medusa Festival organisers have evacuated the premises due to weather warnings after a 28-year-old man lost his life following the stage collapse.
Organisers have agreed that the festival should be “temporarily suspended” after nine people had to be transferred to various hospitals in serious conditions. Twelve people are believed to have been treated on the spot.
The incident happened at around 4 am on Saturday, August 13. According to Spain’s State Meteorological Agency, gusts of winds may have reached up to 65 km/h which resulted in parts of the main stage being ripped off.
Video footage circulating online shows the extent of the damage caused by the strong winds which rocked the Valencian Community.
“The stage comes crashing down,” @Guillealbang wrote on Twitter.
El escenario se viene abajo #medusa #medusafestival pic.twitter.com/mMSJwxFhCz — Guille (@Guillealbang) August 13, 2022
El escenario se viene abajo #medusa #medusafestival pic.twitter.com/mMSJwxFhCz
— Guille (@Guillealbang) August 13, 2022
Another said: “Several hundred metres of entrance. The entrance to the festival was literally blown away. Speed and professionalism of the medical services… The soul shattered after what we saw…”
Varios cientos de metros de entrada. Ha volado literalmente la entrada del festival. Rapidez y profesionalidad de los servicios médicos… El alma destrozada tras lo visto… #Medusa pic.twitter.com/BoegFjGUjO — Rubén Tepé (@RubenTepe) August 13, 2022
Varios cientos de metros de entrada. Ha volado literalmente la entrada del festival. Rapidez y profesionalidad de los servicios médicos… El alma destrozada tras lo visto… #Medusa pic.twitter.com/BoegFjGUjO
— Rubén Tepé (@RubenTepe) August 13, 2022
More people online posted videos of the damage and the high winds.
Medusa Festival pic.twitter.com/FLg4HskMeJ — JoseluDx 🏆 (@JoseluDx) August 13, 2022
Medusa Festival pic.twitter.com/FLg4HskMeJ
— JoseluDx 🏆 (@JoseluDx) August 13, 2022
#medusa #medusafestival #medusafestival2022 pic.twitter.com/QZl7MEuDAd — Jhony (@dracoelbraco) August 13, 2022
#medusa #medusafestival #medusafestival2022 pic.twitter.com/QZl7MEuDAd
— Jhony (@dracoelbraco) August 13, 2022
A statement from the Medusa Festival wrote: “Due to the inclement weather conditions that occurred during the early hours of 13 August 2022, and in order to guarantee the safety of the attendees, workers and artists gathered at the Medusa Festival, the organisation of the festival is suspending its activity for the time being.
The venue will be evacuated as a preventive measure in order to facilitate the work of the emergency and security services of Medusa Festival.”
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Medusa Festival (@medusa_festival)
A post shared by Medusa Festival (@medusa_festival)
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Originally from the UK, Matthew is based on the Costa Blanca and is a web reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.
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