As torrential rain turned the Burning Man Festival desert into a muddy spot, thousands were trapped in the transformed Black Rock Desert
After torrential rain transformed the Burning Man Festival in the United States, tens of thousands of attendees found themselves stranded amidst the desert's muddied landscape. The event took place at the Black Rock Desert in Nevada, a vast and level expanse once known as a playa, which was once a prehistoric lake bed.
An inquiry has been initiated following the disclosure by law enforcement that one person has passed away.
Here is the sequence of events leading to this situation:
Unprecedented rainfall within a few days, equivalent to a month's worth.
Every year , the festival attracts people to the arid landscape, where they come together to dance, create art, and revel in the experience of being part of a self-reliant, transitory community united by shared values and beliefs.
The current year's edition commenced on August 27, with a warm welcome extended to more than 60,000 attendees. The event had originally been planned to continue until Monday. However, due to heavy rainfall that drenched its location at Black Rock Desert between Friday and Saturday nights, festival-goers found themselves unable to enter or exit the festival grounds. According to the Associated Press, the area experienced an extraordinary amount of precipitation, receiving a staggering two to three months' worth, equivalent to 20.8 millimeters, in just a 24-hour period.
On Saturday, Burning Man organizers closed the gate and the airport in and out of Black Rock City, instructing people to remain vigilant. The closures occurred shortly before the scheduled burning of a large wooden effigy on Saturday night. Following the report of one death, festival organizers decided to restrict vehicle access on Sunday.
The confirmation of the death was made by the Pershing County Sheriff's Office through a social media statement. The office is presently conducting an inquiry into a death. Starting on Sunday, a few festival goers managed to leave the event grounds by either walking out or catching buses or hitchhiking. However, this became increasingly difficult as the conditions deteriorated.
Authorities stated on Saturday evening that they remained uncertain about the timeframe for the roads to become suitable for the safe passage of RVs and vehicles. However, there was optimism that, should weather conditions improve, vehicle departures might become feasible by late Monday.
A few people with robust four-wheel drive vehicles successfully navigated their way out of the situation. Notably, the well-known DJ Diplo shared a video on his Instagram account on Saturday evening. In the video, he and comedian Chris Rock were seen riding in the rear of a fan's pickup truck. Diplo mentioned that they had walked nearly 10 kilometers through the muddy terrain before getting a ride.