US floods: Tens and thousands of people remained stuck in foot-deep mud and non-functioning toilets in the northern Nevada as a late-summer storm caused floods at the Burning Man festival held in the state. The festival was closed for vehicles after one death was reported.
The gathering in the Black Rock desert attracts around 80,000 artists, musicians and activists. However, heavy rains disrupted this year's festival and turned it into a mudbath. In wake of the situation, the roads were closed just before a large wooden effigy was supposed to be burned on Saturday - which was postponed to Monday.
However, weather conditions have improved in the Nevada desert, which means that the Burning Man revellers can now start to leave on Monday. Some videos have already emerged showing campusvans leaving the area, BBC reported.
US President Joe Biden told reporters on Sunday that he is aware of the situation at Burning Man, including the death, and the White House is in touch with local officials. Biden said he did not know the cause of death.
What caused the death?
Organisers of the nine-day festival said that man's death was unrelated to bad weather. Emergency services had been called to help the man, who was aged around 40 years. however, he could not be resuscitated. The local sheriff's office is investigating the matter.
A 'muddy' affair
As weather conditions worsened, people travelled through mud with many of them being barefoot or having plastic bags on their feet. The attendees were also advised to conserve supplies of food and water. Some of them walked several kilometres to the nearest town to get a ride back home.
Many of the people posted selfies of themselve being covered in mud and dancing in the makeshift lakes and hosting karaoke parties, making the best out of that situation. However, the portable toilet facilities were temporarily out of use, because service vehicles were unable to drive on the mud to empty them.
By Sunday, the sense of excitement was replaced by a growing air of exasperation, with people increasingly keen to leave. A participant told BBC that she had been covered in mud for the last three days.
On their website, organizers encouraged participants to remain calm and suggested that the festival is built to endure conditions like the flooding. They said that cellphone trailers were being dropped in several locations Saturday night and that they would be briefly opening up internet overnight.
The Burning Man festival had begun on August 27 and was supposed to last till Monday.
(with inputs from agencies)
ALSO READ | US: Florida man cycles through flooded street after Hurricane Idalia | WATCH
