A freak hailstorm has struck Guadalajara, one of Mexico's most populous cities, burying vehicles in a deluge of ice pellets up to two metres deep. At least six neighbourhoods in the city outskirts woke to find their streets covered in ice, with some areas reporting accumulations as high as two metres.
State Governor Enrique Alfaro expressed astonishment at the unprecedented event. 'I've never seen such scenes in Guadalajara,' he said. 'Then we ask ourselves if climate change is real. These are never-before-seen natural phenomena. It's incredible.'
Guadalajara, located north-west of Mexico City with a population of around five million, has been experiencing summer temperatures of approximately 31C in recent days. While seasonal hailstorms do occur, there is no record of anything so heavy.
Nearly 200 homes and businesses reported hail damage, and at least 50 vehicles were swept away by the deluge of ice in hilly areas, some buried under piles of pellets. Civil protection personnel and soldiers brought out heavy machinery to clear the roads, while children scampered around and hurled iceballs at each other.
No casualties were reported, but two people showed early signs of hypothermia, according to the state civil protection office.
