Tragedy struck at the Medusa Circus of Madness dance music festival early this morning (Saturday), after a man in his twenties was killed and 40 others were taken to hospital because part of the stage collapsed due to a strong gust of wind, according to the emergency services.
The incident occurred shortly after 4am at the festival on Cullera beach, which is some 50km south of Valencia, as people were crushed by parts of the stage as it collapsed, and others were hit by some of the large structures making up the festival entrance which also blew down.
Strong winds caused chaos and damage to multiple structures at the Medusa Music Festival in Spain. "Violent" wind gusts devastated parts of the area, forcing the event’s management team to vacate the area. https://t.co/pyGGpQuWm0 pic.twitter.com/KzItPkSjHf
— ABC News (@ABC) August 13, 2022
Organisers have announced that the six-day dance music event, which they expected to attract over 320,000 people, has now been cancelled for this year.
Footage on social media shows the powerful winds sweeping through the venue, with trees and large structures bending dangerously, and debris flying everywhere as people fought to hold onto their tents and salvage their belongings.
The State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) said that the Valencian coast had been hit overnight by various ‘warm downbursts’, a weather event in which a powerful downward current of air hits land and then spreads out in all directions.
The festival promoters have issued a statement on social media, conveying condolences to the victims and their families and friends: “We are completely devastated and appalled by what happened last night, an unexpected and violent gale ravaged certain areas of the festival just after 4am, forcing us to immediately evacuate the concert area to ensure the safety of the festival goers, staff and artists.”
Valencia’s regional president, Ximo Puig, wrote on Twitter it was “a terrible accident that has shocked us all”, offering his deepest condolences to the friends and family of the young man who died.
