The American Burning Man festival has asked tens of thousands of visitors to stay in their tents and to use food and drink sparingly, as the site has turned into a quagmire due to heavy rainfall. This was reported by international news agencies on Saturday evening. According to CNN In 24 hours, an amount of rain that normally falls in two to three months fell in Nevada’s dry Black Rock desert, where the event takes place annually. One festival-goer has died, but it is not clear whether this is due to the storm. Authorities are now investigating the cause of death.
The festival site has become so muddy that vehicles are no longer allowed to drive and the entrance gates have been closed. Therefore, visitors are stuck on the grounds, although some have left on foot towards the nearest highway. As more rain is expected, the situation will continue until the end of the festival on Monday. It is not yet known when visitors will be allowed to leave the site again.
The well-known annual music and arts festival started on August 27. Burning Man is known for forming a kind of self-sufficient community. There is nothing for sale on the site; visitors bring their own food, drinks, stuff and activities and then exchange them with each other. More than 75,000 visitors come to the festival.