UNITED STATES: Organisers have given the green light for a significant number of attendees to depart from the Burning Man festival in Nevada after wet conditions improved.
They advised that people could start leaving the desert location at noon (19:00 GMT), but it was suggested to delay departure until Tuesday to prevent traffic congestion.
The heavy rain had turned the festival grounds into a muddy mess, and initially, around 72,000 people were stranded, with 62,000 still present at noon.
The organisers stated that the man’s death on Friday was not related to the weather.
Emergency services were called to assist the approximately 40-year-old man, but resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful, they stated. The local sheriff’s office had announced an investigation into the incident earlier.
The event’s customary conclusion—the burning of an effigy—got rescheduled for Monday evening.
On Monday afternoon, the driving prohibition within the area was lifted. The organisers said, “Please know that while conditions are improving and roads are drying, the playa is still muddy and may be difficult to navigate in some neighbourhoods and down certain streets.”
The rainstorm that struck the Black Rock Desert towards the end of the past week is believed to be the most extended and heaviest rainfall the festival has encountered in over three decades.
Martyna Sowa, a dancer scheduled to perform at the event, expressed her surprise regarding the deteriorating conditions.
She said, “It was a really strange experience.”
Festival-goers, who were encouraged to be self-reliant in line with the festival’s ethos, received instructions to seek shelter and use their resources wisely, including food, fuel, and water.
However, due to the adverse weather conditions, the portable toilet facilities became temporarily inaccessible as service vehicles were unable to drive on the muddy terrain to empty them.
“We were originally told we wouldn’t be able to leave until Tuesday, but people who really have to go have been able to leave,” Sowa said.
While a portion of the attendees stayed at the location, others opted to trek a distance of 5 miles (approximately 8 kilometres) through the muddy terrain to reach the nearest road.
The event’s coordinators provided buses to transport people from the road to the nearby city of Reno, but there are claims that some individuals had to cover the cost of their rides or hitchhike out of the area.
The organisers stated that a ride was not guaranteed and asked individuals not to walk to County Road 34.
Other revellers didn’t let the muddy conditions deter them; instead, they embraced it, dancing in the mud and hosting karaoke parties.
However, by Sunday, a growing air of annoyance had taken the place of the exhilaration, and people were getting impatient and eager to leave.
Faye, a London resident and Burning Man participant, told the media that she has been left “covered in mud for the past three days.”
There are no showers here. The only thing you can do is wash with baby wipes inside your tent,” she added.
These unexpected rainstorms occurred towards the conclusion of the nine-day festival, precisely when the largest crowds gathered to witness the spectacular finale—the burning of the giant wooden effigy.
There has been a one-day delay from the original Sunday date for this event. Several other events at the festival, including Sowa’s, had to be cancelled.
Even before the official start of Burning Man on August 27, it faced challenges due to the remnants of Hurricane Hilary, leading organisers to close the gates to early arrivals.
Burning Man is one of America’s best-known cultural and artistic events, where attendees construct a temporary city in the heart of the desert.
It was established in June 1986 and had its first gathering in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert in 1990.
Securing tickets can be quite challenging, and festivalgoers sometimes need to interview for entry into popular camps and have to prove their dedication to the festival’s ideals.
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