Mexico In Chaos: Giant Hailstorm Crushes Roofs, Smash Cars, Kills Elderly Man In Hidalgo

Added: 2026-05-23

[00:00:20]Mexico in chaos: Giant hailstorm collapses roofs and floods streets in Hidalgo, at least 1 person dies on ice-covered roads.

[00:00:34]On Tuesday, the state of Hidalgo in central Mexico was struck by violent heavy rain, powerful screaming winds, and then massive hailstones crashing down with deafening sounds.

[00:00:45]Within just minutes, central streets turned into white frozen rivers.

[00:00:50]Floodwater mixed with thick hail completely paralyzed many roads.

[00:00:55]Vehicles stalled in the middle of the streets, motorcycles were knocked over by rushing water, and pedestrians ran into stores for shelter as hailstones the size of golf balls, and even as large as small lemons, continued falling at extremely high speed.

[00:01:21]A street vendor near the famous El Zorro intersection said he heard “loud smashing sounds like metal roofs being hit nonstop by rocks.”

[00:01:29]He said that when he looked outside, the entire street had turned completely white from the ice.

[00:01:34]I saw cars refusing to move because windshields could shatter at any moment, he said.

[00:01:40]In the middle of that chaos, a heartbreaking incident occurred.

[00:01:44]Vendors and pedestrians discovered an elderly man unconscious in the El Zorro area, a normally crowded intersection for local residents.

[00:01:55]Many witnesses at the scene said the moment “sent chills through them.”

[00:01:59]A nearby female vendor said the storm felt “like something from the end of the world.”

[00:02:05]According to her, within only about 15 minutes, the weather changed from cloudy skies into an extreme disaster unlike anything they had ever seen.

[00:02:15]People were screaming and running everywhere.

[00:02:17]The hailstones were hitting so hard that we thought the roofs would collapse.

[00:02:22]Maybe the elderly man was struck by hail and collapsed in the street, she recalled.

[00:02:42]At the Community Development Center, a large section of the roof collapsed under the weight of accumulated hail.

[00:02:49]Images from the scene showed twisted metal frames and shattered roof panels scattered across floors still covered in white ice.

[00:02:58]Fortunately, nobody was inside the building when the collapse happened.

[00:03:03]Otherwise, the consequences could have been far more severe.

[00:03:08]A rescue worker helping secure the area said the ice accumulated on the roof so quickly that it exceeded the structure’s load capacity.

[00:03:18]This is considered extremely rare in central Mexico, where residents are used to heavy rain but do not normally experience prolonged extreme hailstorms with such intense density.

[00:03:40]Actopan was not the only city affected.

[00:03:43]The city of Pachuca also descended into major chaos.

[00:03:47]Large avenues including Luis Donaldo Colosio, Felipe Ángeles, Ramón G. Bonfil, and Everardo Márquez were submerged within a short time.

[00:03:58]At the intersection of Nuevo Hidalgo Avenue and Revolución 1910 Avenue, traffic lights failed, causing traffic jams stretching for miles.

[00:04:09]Drivers of many vehicles were forced to shut off their engines because floodwater rose above wheel level.

[00:04:15]Residents of Pachuca described the city as looking more like a region struck by a snowstorm than central Mexico, which is known for its dry climate.

[00:04:26]From Plaza Juárez to the San Juan district, roads were covered by a thick white layer of ice.

[00:04:34]Videos spreading across social media showed children standing in fear and curiosity while watching giant hailstones cover sidewalks, as adults tried using blankets and tarps to protect vehicles from damage.

[00:05:03]In the Céspedes neighborhood, an elderly woman was reportedly injured in the head after being struck by a large hailstone while walking on the sidewalk.

[00:05:13]Witnesses said she collapsed immediately after the impact and had to be helped into shelter by nearby residents.

[00:05:20]The incident increased fears about the true danger of the storm.

[00:05:25]A resident living near downtown Pachuca said the sound of hail hitting windows “was like someone smashing the glass repeatedly with a hammer.”

[00:05:34]He said the entire family retreated into an interior room because they feared the windows would shatter.

[00:05:41]We heard metal bending outside.

[00:05:43]When we looked out, our neighbor’s roof covering had been punctured, he said.

[00:05:58]In Mineral de la Reforma, officials confirmed that the storm drainage system on Moreda Road had reached 100 percent capacity.

[00:06:07]This showed that the amount of water falling from the storm far exceeded the normal handling capability of the urban infrastructure.

[00:06:14]Meanwhile, the Río de las Avenidas channel was also operating at high levels to prevent possible overflow.

[00:06:22]Some elderly residents in Actopan said they remembered hailstorms in the past, but had never seen hailstones this large and this dense before.

[00:06:32]Back then, hail only covered the ground briefly before melting.

[00:06:36]This time, it felt like rocks falling from the sky, one man said while clearing remaining ice from in front of his house.

[00:06:54]Videos shared across social media quickly gained attention throughout Mexico.

[00:06:58]Many people could not believe the footage was filmed in Hidalgo because the scenes looked more like a country hit by a winter blizzard.

[00:07:06]However, for local residents, this was no longer just shocking footage online, but a terrifying experience they had personally survived.

[00:07:15]As of the morning of May 20, officials said most of the damage involved infrastructure and property.

[00:07:21]However, the death of the elderly man in Actopan continued casting a shadow over the entire disaster.

[00:07:29]Although authorities determined the cause of death to be natural, the timing of his death during the violent storm became a haunting image for many witnesses.

[00:07:48]Outside residential areas, the agricultural sector also suffered major damage.

[00:07:54]Several vegetable and tomato greenhouses collapsed under the weight of the hail.

[00:07:58]Many farmers fear their entire harvests may be destroyed after only one afternoon.

[00:08:05]According to local residents, crops were at a critical growth stage, meaning the giant hailstorm almost completely destroyed expected harvests for the coming weeks.

[00:08:16]What is especially concerning is that despite repeated warnings from authorities about extreme weather in recent weeks, many residents admitted they never expected conditions to become this severe.

[00:08:30]Some people said they were still traveling normally just before the storm arrived because the sky had only darkened briefly.

[00:08:38]This highlights the increasingly unpredictable nature of extreme climate events occurring in many parts of the world.

[00:09:01]What worries residents of Hidalgo is not only this hailstorm, but also the possibility that similar storms may continue in the coming days.

[00:09:10]Local authorities have increased patrols, monitored drainage systems, and warned residents to avoid traveling through deeply flooded areas.

[00:09:20]In the coming days, Mexican authorities continue warning about the risk of additional heavy rain and severe thunderstorms across several central states.

[00:09:30]Residents are advised to limit travel during dangerous weather, avoid sheltering beneath weak metal roofs, and remain especially cautious about sudden urban flash floods that can form extremely quickly.