Thousands stranded at Burning Man Festival after heavy rain
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New details have been released about the death of a man at the Burning Man festival after around 70,000 attendees were trapped on the site in the midst of an unexpected storm.
Burning Man descended into chaos over the weekend as severe flooding left thousands stuck on site, the entrance was closed and revellers were urged to conserve water, food and fuel.
Officials revealed on Saturday that one person had died at the Nevada desert festival.
On Sunday, Burning Man Communications said in a statement that the death was “unrelated to the weather”. The Pershing County Sheriff’s Office is still investigating the death.
The drama has led to spread of rampant – and debunked – conspiracy theories online including false claims of an Ebola outbreak.
Meanwhile, Burning Man said that the site is expected to open on Monday morning, though obviously weather-dependant.
The festival is also ploughing on with plans to burn its iconic effigy later today after it was postponed due to the severe rain and flooding.
“The Man burn will not happen tonight, Sunday, it is now scheduled for Monday 9/4, at 9pm,” the festival said in an update on Sunday evening.
TikTok video shows ‘Burners’ enjoying the festival, despite the mud
Elon Musk calls Burning Man ‘best art on Earth’ amid chaos that saw thousands stranded and one dead
Elon Musk offered lofty praise to the Burning Man festival - after this year’s event descended into disaster with one person dead and thousands left stranded in the Nevada desert after intense floods.
“Burning Man is unique in the world,” Mr Musk wrote on his platform X on Sunday. “Hard to describe how incredible it is for those who have never been. Best art on Earth.”
Kelly Rissman reports:
Is it ok to laugh at Burning Man memes?
Burning Man festival is the talk of the internet, with horrendous weather making the Nevada desert festival one of the biggest stories in the news agenda and one of the best meme trend of 2023 – but should it be?
Harry Fletcher from Indy100 reports:
Is it ok to laugh at Burning Man memes?
Burning Man festival is the talk of the internet, with horrendous weather making the Nevada desert festival one of the biggest stories in the news agenda and one of the best meme trend of 2023 – but should it be?Festivals are washed out all the time, after all. Everyone has seen pictures of mud-divi...
Burning Man officials ask attendees to consider leaving tomorrow
In an update posted on Burning Man’s official website, organisers asked attendees to consider leaving the area on Tuesday 5 September to help alive the large amount of congestion expected to occur when they are cleared to leave today.
“Consider delaying your departure from Black Rock City until Tuesday 9/5. This will alleviate large amounts of congestion throughout the day today, Monday 9/4. “
Though it is not for certain that “Burners” will be allowed to leave on Monday, the area is beginning to dry up thanks to sunny conditions.
What we know about the death investigation
The Pershing County Sheriff’s Office confirmed a death at Burning Man to KNSD-TV on Saturday but offered few details. The identity of the person and the cause and manner of death have not been released.
The death occurred during the extreme rain that swept over the desert on Friday and Saturday but was not caused due to the rain.
The Independent has reached out to the law enforcement agency.
Burning Man disaster timeline
21 August - Tropical Storm Hilary strikes
The omens for a sodden festival began days before gates officially opened, when Tropical Storm Hilary slammed into California causing widespread flooding and damage. The unseasonal storm left the festival site in the Black Rock Desert covered in water, with the arid landscape unable to absorb the heavy rainwater.
Organisers warned the thousands of attendees who turn up early to construct the desert encampment for “build week” that gates would remain closed until 23 August.
23 August - Delayed set up begins
Gates officially open to festival workers, allowing artists access to the five mile squared Black Rock City site to build this year’s centerpiece, the Temple of the Heart structure.
27 August - Gates open, with major logjam
Gates officially open, and the majority of the tens of thousands of revellers begin to arrive.
The average wait time at the gate is around two hours, according to festival organisers.
1 September - Months of rain fail in a single day
The festival site is hit with 0.8 inches of rain in a space of 24 hours over the evening of 1 September and into the next day, the inclement weather a result of the long tail of Tropical Storm Hilary. This amounts to 2-3 months worth of rain.
2 September - Revellers look to escape
Some hardy festival goers opt to take matters into their own hands and walk for miles through the mud to nearby pickup points.
Among them are comedian Chris Rock and DJ Diplo, who posted a video to his Instagram account after they were given a lift by a passing truck.
3 September - Thousands left trapped
In a 9am update, Burning Man organisers say roads remain closed due to the mud and an “uncertain weather front” is approaching Black Rock City.
Grounds remain too wet for most vehicles to leave
Monday morning, officials with Burning Man said the grounds remained too muddy and wet for most attendees to leave, thought they would begin an exodus around 12pm PT.
“Gate Road remains too wet & muddy for most vehicles to safely navigate out of BRC this morning, but is drying. Exodus likely to begin around noon today, Monday 9/4,” an X account associated with Burning Man wrote.
Fairy Shrimp found on Burning Man grounds after rainstorm
A well-known “three-eyed” insect has been spotted on the freshly rained-upon grounds where Burning Man is hosted every year.
The creature, which is translucent in colour, is nicknamed “fairy shrimp”, and some Burning Man attendees have been found at the bottom of dried-out lake beds that can survive in drought-like conditions for years.
The strange-looking insects can return to the surface of the dried ground after a rainstorm, which is exactly what happened this past weekend at Burning Man in the Las Vegas desert.
On social media, Burning Man attendees who are being forced to remain in place until conditions are safe to drive in have discovered the “fairy shrimp” which are descendants of the triops cancriformis,.
Marjorie Taylor Greene claims Burning Man disaster was an ‘act of God’
Marjorie Taylor Greene has claimed that Burning Man revellers are being “brainwashed” into believing the washout has been caused by the climate crisis – which she claims was an act of God.
The Republican congresswoman and notorious conspiracy theorist joined fellow conspiracy theorist Alex Jones on his Info Wars show on Sunday night, where they both launched into their beliefs about the festival in the Nevada desert.
“There’s 73 to 75,000 in the Nevada desert right now at this Burning Man. They’re locked in,” the far-right lawmaker said.
Rachel Sharp reports:
President Biden briefed on Burning Man situation
President Joe Biden was briefed on the situation at Burning Man, according to a White House pool report.
“Administration officials are monitoring the situation are in touch with state and local officials. Event attendees should listen to state and local officials and event organizers,” the pool report says.
https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiZmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmluZGVwZW5kZW50LmNvLnVrL25ld3Mvd29ybGQvYW1lcmljYXMvYnVybmluZy1tYW4tZmVzdGl2YWwtbmV2YWRhLWRlYXRoLWZlbWEtYjI0MDQyNjAuaHRtbNIBAA?oc=5
2023-09-04 19:00:51Z
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