Tens of thousands trapped in desert told to 'conserve food' at Nevada Burning Man after floods
Burning Man attendees have been told to shelter in place after heavy rains inundated their campsites with ankle-deep mud, while authorities say they are investigating one death
Tens of thousands of festival-goers trapped in the Nevada desert have been told to "conserve food and water" after a slow-moving rainstorm caused “treacherous” muddy conditions.
Burning Man attendees have been told to shelter in place after heavy rains inundated their campsites with ankle-deep mud on Saturday, and authorities say they are investigating one reported death at the event.
The remote area in northwest Nevada was hit with 2-3 months worth of rain (up to 0.8 inches) in just 24 hours between Friday and Saturday morning.
The heavy rain fell on dry desert grounds, whipping up thick, clay-like mud that festival-goers say is too difficult to walk or bike through.
“No driving is permitted on playa except for emergency vehicles,” event organisers said in a statement in the early hours of Saturday.
“If you are in [Black Rock City], please shelter in place and stay safe.”
In a separate communication, they also warned those trapped to “conserve food and water, shelter in a warm space” as temperatures in the desert dipped into the 50s.
It’s unclear exactly how many people are stranded at the festival, but typically more than 70,000 people attend the weeklong event, which is being held this year from August 28 to September 4.
DJ Diplo and comedian Chris Rock were among those trapped, sharing a video on X, formerly Twitter, from the desert with the caption: "just walked 5 miles in the mud out of burning man with Chris Rock and a fan picked us up."
The Pershing County Sheriff’s Office said it’s investigating “a death which occurred during this rain event.”
Authorities did not publicly name the person or provide details on the circumstances of the death.
“The family has been notified and the death is under investigation,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement to the press.
At least another quarter of an inch of rain is expected to fall on Sunday.
“More rain is expected over the next few days and conditions are not expected to improve enough to allow vehicles to enter the playa,” the Bureau of Land Management said in a statement obtained by the Reno Gazette Journal.
Flooding in Nevada was widespread over the weekend with reports of flash floods in Las Vegas and street closures announced across Clark county.
The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for north-eastern Clark county.
“We do not currently have an estimated time for the roads to be dry enough for RVs or vehicles to navigate safely,” Burning Man organisers said in a statement on Saturday evening.
“Monday late in the day would be possible if weather conditions are in our favour. It could be sooner.”
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