According to Agent Carlos Pitones of the Customs and Border Patrol’s El Centro, Calif., sector, the section of the wall that blew over had been part of a continuing project attempting to reinforce sections of the wall in Calexico, reports The Hill. The section landed on a grouping of trees on the Mexican side of the border.
The section, consisting of steel panels more than 30 feet (nine meters) high, had recently been set in concrete and had not yet cured at the time it toppled in high winds that reached gusts of 37 mph (59.5 kph).
“Luckily, Mexican authorities responded quickly and were able to divert traffic from the nearby street,” said Pitones. “We are grateful there was no property damage or injuries,” he added.
Customs and Border Patrol is working with the Mexican government on the next steps to right the wall. Pitones said it is not currently known how long the construction work in the area will need to be suspended in order to allow for cleanup, according to The Guardian.
The Trump administration has sought to pull hundreds of millions of dollars from several government accounts in order to fulfill his promise to his constituents to construct 450 miles of barriers. Yet the administration has faced a host of legal and logistical challenges.
Earlier this month, Trump announced the wall had reached the 100-mile mark. Most of this involved replacing sections of the wall with newer, enhanced designs, although a half-mile of a new wall was erected in the Rio Grande Valley where no wall previously existed.
