BLACK ROCK DESERT, Nev. – Monsoon rains on Friday and over the weekend caused flash flooding at Burning Man, turning the usually dry, desert landscape of the festival grounds into a muddy mess.
As of early Monday morning, thousands of festival goers remain trapped at Black Rock Desert in Nevada. Less than an inch of rain fell over the weekend, enough to create dangerous muddy conditions and cause roads around the festival to be shut down.
Several roads are expected to reopen Monday morning, which would allow festival goers the opportunity to leave the festival grounds.
Leading up to this “Exodus,” a number of initiatives have been enacted to try to assist those who remain stuck.
Sanitation trucks moved through the grounds to make sure portable toilets are functional and clean, according to the Burning Man Project. Plus, mobile cell trailers were placed to help boost cell service for participants.
Additionally, event organizers told the more than 73,000 people attending the Burning Man festival to hunker down and conserve resources.
Sunshine and clear skies are expected for the festival’s last day, when the iconic burning of the “Man” effigy will take place that evening. The festival’s namesake event was originally planned for Sunday, but was postponed due to the inclement weather.
At least one dead has been confirmed dead at Burning Man. The Pershing County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that they are investigating the death reported during the rain event to see whether it was related to the severe weather.