There’s some weird stuff going on (more than usual) in the Nevada desert.
The festival Burning Man is beginning to turn into a humanitarian disaster.
Rain has flooded the desert where the festival took place and a death has now taken place “during this rain event.”
“As this death is still under investigation, there is no further information available at this time,” officials from Pershing County Sheriff’s Office said.
The festival that takes place during Labor Day weekend was put on lockdown that Saturday by the Bureau of Land Management, who oversees the land the festival takes place on.
In other news, somewhere near Las Vegas, God still seems to have something against burning effigies…#exodus32 pic.twitter.com/aH4EqD5d8z
— Ben Greenfield (@bengreenfield) September 3, 2023
Due to the weather, the area has turned into a muddy bowl of soup making it very difficult for vehicles to get to leave the area.
From Deadline:
Officials from BLM and the Pershing County Sheriff’s Office have closed ingress to the Burning Man event effective immediately and for the remainder of the event. Participants inbound for the event should turn around and head home.
Rain over the last 24 hours has created a situation that required a full stop of vehicle movement on the playa. More rain is expected over the next few days and conditions are not expected to improve enough to allow vehicles to enter the playa.
According to report organizers barred vehicle traffic on Friday and kept the exit gates closed as well.
“No driving is permitted on playa except for emergency vehicles,” event organizers said in a 5 a.m. Saturday statement. “If you are in (Black Rock City), please shelter in place and stay safe.”
From what we’ve been able to parse the rationale for the lockdown was took keep people in place so those leaving don’t create more emergencies should they get stuck.
But reports are that sanitary conditions are deteriorating and like in Maui people are leaving – if they can – before a real crisis starts.
Someone at burning man almost got run over by an RV while trying to stop people from leaving. lol pic.twitter.com/uwsVbqcfAW
— Cassandra MacDonald (@CassandraRules) September 4, 2023
Lot of stuck vehicles trapped by mud about a mile out attempting to exit from Burning Man. I just walked by about 30 various RVs and cars that can’t move. pic.twitter.com/cqoUag0dTR
— Lee Fang (@lhfang) September 3, 2023
People that could have started to walkout.
Marching slowly out pic.twitter.com/AKZYf4wBXa
— Lee Fang (@lhfang) September 4, 2023
This whole #BurningMan story makes no sense me.
Shelter in place? in the middle of the desert? What the f**k?
…but some people & celebs were to leave
They had to brief the president? What?
— Richard “Dick” Whitman (🌎/21M) (@GhostofWhitman) September 4, 2023
Reports from inside the camp say that things aren’t as bad as they are being portrayed.
Burning Man Flood Update. There is no ebola, FEMA or fence being built. We are having a great time! #burningman2023 #burningman #blackrockcity #floodedman pic.twitter.com/WOCp8Ol7T5
— dcharts (@xdcharts) September 4, 2023
