Tens of thousands of people are trapped in the Nevada desert, where the celebration of Burning Man, one of the most well-known festivals in the country, was planned.
According to event organizers, attendees had to be asked to conserve food, water and fuel and seek shelter on-site as heavy rains and thunderstorms hit the camp and turned it into a muddy mess.
Both the entrance and exit to Black Rock City had to be temporarily closed, and organizers reported that "No driving is permitted until the playa surface dries up, with the exception of emergency vehicles."
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
The Bureau of Land Management and the Pershing County Sheriff's Office explained that the rain created a situation that "required a full stop of vehicle movement on the playa," so anyone who intends to access Burning Man at the moment will have to turn around and return home.
Several media outlets reported that more than 73,000 people are currently trapped and several images of attendees struggling to navigate the muddy roads have already been published on social networks.
#WATCH | The 70,000+ crowd at Burning Man in Nevada have been told to conserve food and water after heavy rains have left the area in dire conditions.pic.twitter.com/7pVRGucaJC
— VOZ (@Voz_US) September 2, 2023
"Everyone is fine, but there is an aspect of uncertainty. Some people's tents got flooded [and] signal [across the camp] is the problem, we can't really communicate with anyone," one of the festival-goers reported, according to the BBC.
