Dozens of people were injured on Sunday when strong wind caused large tarpaulins to collapse at two campaign events in México state.
The México state government said in a statement that 58 people sustained minor injuries at an event for a mayoral candidate in Xonacatlán, while around 20 people became trapped when a tarp collapsed at an event for a mayoral candidate in Ixtlahuaca, according to reports. Three people were reportedly injured in the latter incident.
In Xonacatlán, located about 60 kilometers west of downtown Mexico City, 55 people were treated on-site for minor injuries while one person sought medical care at a hospital “by their own means,” the México state government said.
Two other people were taken to hospital by ambulance, one of whom was suffering a nervous breakdown, the government said.
In Ixtlahuaca, located around 100 kilometers northwest of Mexico City, three people suffered “bumps” when the tarp and the structure supporting it collapsed, according to the Excélsior newspaper.
Paramedics and other emergency personnel assisted and treated the injured in both Xonacatlán and Ixtlahuaca.
The accidents occurred at “close of campaign” events for Morena party mayoral candidates in the respective municipalities.
They happened five days after strong wind caused a stage to collapse at a Citizens Movement campaign event in the metropolitan area of Monterrey, Nuevo León. Nine people were killed at that event and more than 100 others were injured.
Morena’s mayoral candidate in Xonacatlán, Alfredo González, said that “strong gusts of winds” brought the tarp down at his event.
The party’s mayoral candidate in Ixtlahuaca, Guadalupe Díaz said in a video message that heavy rain and strong wind caused the tarp to collapse at her event.
“Fortunately, … there aren’t lives to mourn,” she said.
Díaz and González are among hundreds of candidates vying to become mayors in the 125 municipalities of México state, Mexico’s most populous state.
Mexicans will elect some 20,000 municipal, state and federal representatives — including a new president — in the country’s largest ever elections this Sunday.
With reports from El Universal and Excélsior
