Reuters reports:
Nevada authorities on Sunday said they were investigating one death after a severe rainstorm left tens of thousands of revelers attending the annual Burning Man festival stranded in mud, and asked that they shelter in place and conserve food and water.
The Pershing County Sheriff’s Office in northern Nevada said in a statement that the death happened during a “rain event” on Saturday but did not provide details of the cause of death or the person’s identity.
“The family has been notified and the death is under investigation,” the sheriff’s office said. “As the death is still under investigation, there is no further information at this time.”
The New York Times reports:
Burning Man, which takes place in Black Rock City and began last Sunday, was interrupted by heavy rains on Friday night, and organizers directed attendees to shelter in place as rain poured over the area.
The festival site received more than half an inch of rain overnight on Friday, organizers said. While it had stopped for much of Saturday, more was expected in the evening and into Sunday morning, with a slight chance of thunderstorms, they said.
Videos on social media have shown Burning Man attendees trudging through flooded fields and dense mud. Portable restrooms, R.V. campers and people appeared to be slathered in the muck. Some tied trash bags around their shoes.
CNN reports:
“A little over 70,000 people,” remained stranded Saturday, Sgt. Nathan Carmichael, with the Pershing County Sheriff’s Office, told CNN Sunday morning. Some people have left the site by walking out but “most of the RVs are stuck in place,” he said.
The remote area in northwest Nevada was hit with 2 to 3 months’ worth of rain – up to 0.8 inches – in just 24 hours between Friday and Saturday morning. The heavy rainfall fell on dry desert grounds, whipping up thick, clay-like mud festivalgoers said was too difficult to walk or bike through.
More rain is likely Sunday afternoon, according to a forecast from the National Weather Service office in Reno. “Stronger storms will be capable of very heavy rainfall, small hail, and wind gusts to 40+ mph,” the weather service noted.
The cult has been exulting in the mess all weekend and has claimed that Burning Man is seeing an Ebola outbreak, causing #Ebola to trend on Twitter this morning.
Do not travel to Black Rock City! Access to the city is closed for the remainder of the event, and you will be turned around.
— Burning Man Traffic (@bmantraffic) September 2, 2023
The Gate and airport in and out of Black Rock City remain closed. Ingress and egress are halted until further notice. No driving is permitted except emergency vehicles. If you are in BRC, conserve food, water, and fuel, and shelter in a warm, safe space. More updates to come.
— Burning Man Traffic (@bmantraffic) September 2, 2023
Tens of thousands of people attending the Burning Man festival in the Nevada desert are being told to conserve food, water and fuel as they shelter in place after a heavy rainstorm https://t.co/63N6id7vyn pic.twitter.com/sc0VeClt9Y
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) September 2, 2023
Over 70,000 people are stranded in the Nevada desert after heavy rains swamped the annual Burning Man festival, leaving thick, ankle-deep mud, CNN reports. pic.twitter.com/ydPYg5SWIH
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) September 3, 2023
More than 70,000 Burning Man attendees are unable to drive to or leave the event in Black Rock City, Nev., after hours of wind and rain turned the festival’s desert campgrounds into sticky mud. Local authorities are also looking into a death at the event. https://t.co/QrULzh6XIx
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) September 3, 2023
just walked 5 miles in the mud out of burning man with chris rock and a fan picked us up pic.twitter.com/0uxSXLHgY6
— diplo (@diplo) September 2, 2023
BREAKING: Terrible footage from yesterday. When you travel to Burning Man for fun in the desert and it rains six inches and floods, and you believe you’ll just drive out of the muck in your Jeep Wrangler.#BurningMan #BurningMan2023 #BurningManFestival pic.twitter.com/q873dYhHPF
— EvoCentral (@evocentralnews) September 3, 2023
Shits about to get real at Burning Man. The porta potties are full and the trucks can’t get in to clean them out pic.twitter.com/SahYaPzvRD
— Jelly Santos (@MrsJellySantos) September 3, 2023
Another update from my son at Burning Man- they’ve been told to pee on the ground which goes against the rules. But the porta potties are over flowing so no choice. #burningman pic.twitter.com/Y68IYo6mnd
— KylieRoseM (@KylieRoseMM) September 2, 2023
