A stage fell at a music event near Valencia, Spain, killing one and injuring 17, three critically. At 4:18 a.m. local time, a violent blast of wind destroyed the Medusa Festival in Cullera, near Valencia. The Civil Guard, Spain’s paramilitary police squad, reported there was more damage than the stage’s partial collapse.

“Due to a strong blast of wind, the Medusa Festival’s main entrance and stage crumbled,” a Valencia official said.

When the event happened, there were 50,000 people at the festival, and it took 40 minutes to evacuate everybody, with working exit doors.

Valencia’s president, Ximo Puig, sent condolences to the victim’s family and friends.

“A shocking accident. “I want to convey my heartfelt condolences to the young man’s family and friends,” Puig added.

Early Saturday morning, festival organisers announced on Instagram that they had suspended the festival “due to adverse weather” to ensure concert-goers, staff, and artists’ safety.

Later Saturday, organisers cancelled the festival, citing “adverse and unexpected weather circumstances” “It’s a funeral. “Our thoughts are continually with those touched, directly or indirectly, by the tragic, unforeseen, and unavoidable disaster,” organisers stated in a social media statement.

Videos posted early Saturday showed severe winds and stage constructions crumbling as audiences were evacuated.

The Valencia department of Spain’s national weather agency (AEMET) tweeted that warm breezes were causing strong winds and temperature spikes.

At 3 a.m. local time, the temperature was 40.5 Celsius (104.9 degrees Fahrenheit) at the Alicante-Elche airport on the Mediterranean coast, with winds of 82 kilometres per hour.

Europe’s temperatures have soared, causing droughts in England and wildfires in France.

[embedpost slug=”with-unprecedented-coachella-showing-latin-music-continues-us-dominance/”]