Floods hit the Burning Man festival: the festival in the desert turned into a mud bath

The dirt can take several days to dry. Photo: REUTERS

The Burning Man festival has been known since the 1990s as a place for creatives. and partygoers to let their free spirits run wild.

But on Saturday, the participants found themselves unexpectedly locked in after floods blocked roads, depriving them of food and water.

Organizers ended the festivities and ordered 70 000 people seek shelter after rain turns a seven-square-mile dusty playa in Nevada into mud.

Social media footage shows would-be revelers making their way through the Black Rock Desert, which is typically an arid historic lakebed in one of the driest regions of the United States.

The mud is expected to dry after a few days. According to the organizers of the festival, on Friday, a «low pressure system» poured 15 to 20 mm of rain into the area.

Authorities have closed access to the site, with the exception of ambulances, and to all potential participants who have not yet arrived , it is highly recommended to stay away.

Burning Man ended in rain! pic.twitter.com/K2mKmY2UQY

— Ivoryringlord (@ivoryringlord) September 2, 2023

The threat of more flash floods continued into Saturday night as tens of thousands of people were stranded.

The low pressure system responsible for yesterday's rain has shifted to the west, resulting in variable sunny weather and light winds today,” the organizers said on Saturday.

“However, the rain returns early Sunday morning and continues until noon as the low pressure system moves east through Black Rock City and exits the region.

“If you are in the BRC, conserve food, water and fuel and shelter in a warm and safe place.»

People cover their boots with plastic bags and take shelter in tents. Photo: REUTERS

The festival's «survival guide» emphasizes that participants must be «mentally and physically prepared» for the rain.

“Bring a bucket (in case the pots are out of order), pack for cold weather, bring any food/medication you need, bring a battery or solar-powered radio,” the post reads.

Chris Rock, an American comedian, has reportedly posted a story on Instagram warning that the festival's portable toilets are no longer operational due to flooding.

«It is my understanding that due to flooding, port- o — It is reported that the pots cannot be emptied,” the message reads.

“And since the gates are closed, people cannot enter to fill the generators or deliver supplies.”

Burning Man in 2003. For decades it has been one of the most popular festivals in the US. Photo: HULTON

Burning Man was founded in 1986 when two friends, Larry Harvey and Jerry Goodell, burned an effigy at Baker Beach in San Francisco.

In the 1990s, this festival became a festival visited by creative people from the West Coast of the United States. before becoming the haunt of Silicon Valley tech workers.

Fred Turner, professor of communications at Stanford University, said photos from the festival once adorned the walls of Google's headquarters in Mountain View, California.< /p>

He said the festival has become «what the Protestant church has become to industrial manufacturers» by allowing employees to enter into a «spiritual community» with their superiors.

The festival has previously suffered from extreme weather conditions . , and darkening due to dust and strong winds forces participants to walk through the desert with poor visibility.