Strong winds blew down a small section of the U.S.-Mexico border wall in Southern California.
On Wednesday, several panels in Mexicali, Mexico, were blown down and landed on trees. The wall section is currently undergoing construction to improve security. Wind gusts in the area reached speeds of nearly 40 mph, according to the National Weather Service.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection confirmed the incident to the Washington Examiner. It said only a handful of 30-foot-tall panels were affected. The agency estimated that the winds caught the anti-climb plate atop the panel.
“No property damage or injuries were sustained during this uncommon event while the concrete was drying, and construction remains ongoing,” CBP spokesman Ralph DeSio told the Washington Examiner.
“The border wall system is imperative to securing the border and is what border patrol agents have asked for and need to maintain operational control of the southern border,” he said.
The news comes on the eve of CBP officials discovering the largest ever tunnel built along the southern border, stretching 4,309 feet from Tijuana, Mexico, to California. Before the discovery, the longest recorded tunnel along the border was approximately 3,000 feet long. Agents say the tunnel was likely used to transport illegal drugs into the United States.
The Trump administration is continuing its work to strengthen border security.
Earlier this month, the Trump administration installed a plaque in Yuma, Arizona, to commemorate the construction of 100 miles of wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Chad Wolf, acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, tweeted an image of the plaque online, which reads, “Dedicated to all the men and women who work tirelessly to protect our nation.”
Though the plaque commemorates 100 miles of border wall built, President Trump has promised to build 450 miles by the end of 2020.
