American singer and songwriter Miley Cyrus reassured fans on Wednesday that she, her band, crew, friends and family were all "safe" after lightning struck her private jet and forced to make an emergency landing in South America. Gone.
Cyrus, 29, was on her way to the Paraguayan capital Asuncion on Wednesday morning to perform at the Asuncionico Music Festival, one of the biggest rock festivals in the South American country. However, the plane got caught in "a huge unforeseen storm," Cyrus said on Twitter.
To my fans and everyone worried after hearing about my flight to Asunción. Our plane was caught in a major unexpected storm and struck by lighting. My crew , band , friends and family who were all traveling with me are safe after an emergency landing. pic.twitter.com/NhKrospppN
— Miley Cyrus (@MileyCyrus) March 23, 2022
He also posted a video on social media showing lightning flashing outside the plane's window, as well as a photo of the damage to the plane, showing a deep dent in the exterior of the plane's body. Was.
"We are unfortunately unable to fly to Paraguay," Cyrus, who is performing in South America as part of her recent tour, wrote alongside the photo.
According to a news release from the festival, severe weather also forced the event's organizers to cancel the festival's opening day on Tuesday for the safety of the public, cast and staff.
Videos showed the city of Asuncion practically under water as floodwaters swept away cars and threatened to take people away.
"Unbelievable," said one person as he and other passengers got off the flooded bus into chest-deep flood waters. In another video, a man can be seen riding a motorcycle and running towards the water, which immediately turns the bike upside down and drops the rider into the water.
Roads turned into rivers, trapping passers-by in the fast-flowing water. A video showed someone trying to reach a boy on the sidewalk, who was wrapped around a tree, as water passed by.
"A climate site in Asuncion recorded 2.14 inches (55 mm) of rain on Tuesday," said AccuWeather meteorologist Mary Gilbert. "The site typically receives only 2.50 inches (about 65 mm) of rain for the entire month of March."
Gilbert said thunderstorms in Paraguay first hit northern Argentina on Tuesday afternoon, becoming heavier as it moved north in the evening. He said the storm produced sustained lightning and 40 mph gusts of wind on Tuesday evening in Asuncion, when the rain was heaviest.
Formosa International Airport in Formosa, Argentina, near the border between the two countries, recorded 4.27 inches (108.5 mm) of rain in a matter of hours on Tuesday.
While she was unable to make it to Paraguay, Cyrus is still set to perform at Lollapalooza Brazil 2022, which starts on Friday.