Emergency crews in Mexico City work to break apart and remove a 2.5-meter boulder. It slid off Cerro de Tepeyac, commonly known as Tepeyac Hill, and crashed onto a roadway, injuring a passerby.
Mexico City, CDMX – A freak accident struck Mexico City on Sunday morning. An enormous rock broke loose from the famous Tepeyac hill and tumbled into an urban street below. The boulder – estimated at 2.5 meters in diameter – fell from Cerro de Tepeyac around 7:00 AM on July 27 in the Gustavo A. Madero borough. It struck and gravely injured a 70-year-old man who happened to be nearby. The victim, an elderly male, suffered severe injuries. He was rushed to a hospital, where he remains in serious condition.
Authorities from Mexico City’s Risk Management and Civil Protection Department responded swiftly. They cordoned off the area at Cantera and General Mariano Salas streets – not far from the Basilica of Guadalupe – and evacuated pedestrians. Meanwhile, geologists assessed the hillside’s stability. The giant rock had dislodged from the hill’s flank, likely due to natural erosion or recent heavy rains that loosened the soil. Using special equipment, city crews painstakingly broke the boulder into smaller pieces. They cleared the rubble by early afternoon. By then, officials had also closed a section of the roadway and a nearby pedestrian path as a precaution.
Heavy Rains May Have Played a Role
Residents were stunned as they realized Cerro de Tepeyac, a historic and sacred hill legendary for the apparition of the Virgin of Guadalupe, is surrounded by urban neighborhoods. It’s “extremely rare” for such a large rockfall to occur there, officials noted. The incident has raised concerns about hillside safety in the capital. This is especially so with unusually heavy summer rains this year. Civil Protection said it would survey the Tepeyac slope. They aim to determine if additional stabilization or barriers are needed to prevent future rockslides. Locals pointed out that small stones have occasionally fallen in the past. However, nothing of Sunday’s magnitude occurred before.
The injured man’s name was not released, but authorities described him as a bystander. He happened to be walking by the base of the hill. He sustained head trauma and multiple fractures. Authorities reported no other casualties, which they considered fortunate, given that the area is a busy mix of residential and commercial spaces later in the day. City officials urged residents living near steep hillsides to be vigilant, especially during the rainy season. They were advised to report any signs of erosion or cracking. As of Sunday evening, the patient was undergoing surgery. the community is praying for his recovery after this unusual accident occurred.
