Authorities say they are looking into a fatality at the festival as hundreds of people remain unable to leave the Burning Man festival in the Nevada desert after torrential rains Saturday submerged their campgrounds in ankle-deep muck.
After a storm flooded the region and forced officials to stop anyone from entering or leaving the event, attendees were instructed to remain in situ in the Black Rock Desert and save food, water, and fuel.
In only 24 hours between Friday and Saturday mornings, the isolated region in northwest Nevada received up to 0.8 inches of rain—the equivalent of 2 to 3 months’ worth. Heavy rains that fell on parched desert land created thick, clay-like muck that festival participants claim is too tough to navigate on foot or by bicycle.
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Enigmatic Rain Event Death
Authorities did not disclose the identity of the deceased or the circumstances surrounding their passing, just that the Pershing County Sheriff’s Office is looking into “a death that occurred during this rain event.”
According to a late Saturday press release from the sheriff’s office, “the family has been notified and the death is under investigation.” Roads might reopen at an unknown date, but following additional storms on Sunday, it is anticipated that sunlight will return on Monday.
If the weather cooperates, we could arrive on Monday late in the day, according to a statement sent by Burning Man organizers on Saturday evening. It may happen sooner. The rain that fell on a playa that was already wet overnight and on Sunday “will affect the amount of time it takes for the playa to dry,” the organizers did acknowledge.
The entrance and airport into Black Rock City are now still blocked, and only emergency vehicles are permitted to enter or exit the city, according to the organizers’ social media posts. Each year for the event, a temporary city called Black Rock City is built, replete with a sanitary system, emergency services, and other amenities.
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Source: CNN
