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“It Was Pure Hell”: People Share Distressing Photos Of How Legendary Burning Man Turned Into A Fiasco
Burning Man, the mega event known for its spectacular blend of art, music, celebrities and wacky DIY clothing, has left its attendees trapped in the flooding and mud over the weekend.
The Nevada desert experienced torrential rains that transformed its dusty terrain ready for festivities into clay, resulting in more than 70,000 festivalgoers becoming stranded until the landscape dries up.
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An exclusive celebration of art, music and DIY clothing, known as the Burning Man festival, has turned into a muddy nightmare due to torrential downpour
Image credits: tbevans03
While the complete details remain uncertain at this time, it has been reported that one participant has already lost their life due to circumstances “unrelated to the weather.”
Emergency responders were called to attend to a 40-year-old man on Friday but were unable to revive him, according to organizers, who did not offer additional information.
The Pershing County Sheriff’s Office previously mentioned that they are conducting an investigation into this incident.
Many attendees were forced to say bye to their precious footwear because of the sinking mud
Image credits: Getty Images
Image credits: Getty Images
This is what this year’s festivalgoers imagined heading to (as remembered by pics from the previous, sun-drenched years)
Image credits: burningman
Image credits: burningmanphoto
Image credits: hybycozo
Image credits: hybycozo
Image credits: burningman
Instead, the attendees got sinking feet, clogged porta-potties and a double-rainbow
Image credits: tbevans03
Image credits: tbevans03
President Biden, who was informed about the situation on Sunday, has said, “We’re in touch with the local people”, adding that they plan to bring everyone home without further casualties.
60,000 people stuck at burning man and it’s not looking good. There is limited food and water and toilets and showers beginning to fail. They need at least four days for it to dry out as it’s too muddy to leave. They are stuck. pic.twitter.com/BTeKOvu83o
— Erin Elizabeth Health Nut News 🙌 (@unhealthytruth) September 2, 2023
Image credits: burningmanfashion
Image credits: kovalenkooliza
Besides portable toilets being inaccessible to service trucks due to ground conditions, the heavy rain also resulted in the destruction of numerous attendees’ tents and structures, inspiring some festivalgoers to make a 6-mile run for it.
“It was an incredibly harrowing 6-mile hike at midnight through heavy and slippery mud, but I got safely out of Burning Man,” one of the attendees wrote on X. “Never been before and it was fantastic (with brilliant art and fabulous music)… except the ending.”
Meanwhile, some festivalgoers managed to make the best of the dire circumstances
Image credits: rawsalerts
Image credits: rawsalerts
Image credits: rawsalerts
The remote region in northwest Nevada, including the Black Rock Desert where the festivities are being held, received an extraordinary 2 to 3 months’ worth of rain, equivalent to approximately 0.8 inches, within a mere 24-hour period spanning from Friday to Saturday morning.
This intense downpour occurred over arid desert terrain, resulting in the formation of clay-like mud that robbed attendees of their shoes and even vehicles, making the organizers forbid anyone except personnel and emergency services from leaving or entering the territory.
Even the president has been informed about the ongoing situation in the Black Rock Desert
Image credits: laylamolayem
Image credits: marshallmosher
Image credits: leahculver
Image credits: sol_flac
Image credits: jamenpercy.burn
Image credits: paulanrodrigues
Image credits: paulanrodrigues
Image credits: paulanrodrigues
Image credits: paulanrodrigues
Speaking about the ongoing crisis, the Burning Man organizers had this to say: “We do not currently have an estimated time for the roads to be dry enough for RVs or vehicles to navigate safely.”
“Monday late in the day would be possible if weather conditions are in our favor. It could be sooner.”
After the downpour, the organizers issued a statement urging attendees not to panic
Image credits: bmantraffic
Of course, some attendees ignored the organizers’ warnings to shelter in a “warm, safe space”
Image credits: ninja_natalie
Image credits: nadia_abraham
Image credits: TTEcclesBrown
Image credits: AngryMarkTrail
Amar Singh Duggal, one of the attendees who made it out of the festival despite warnings to shelter in place, told CNN, “It was pure hell (walking) through the mud.”
“Each step felt like we were walking with two big cinder blocks on our feet,” Duggal said.
Image credits: neal_katyal
Of course, this didn’t stop festivalgoers, including the likes of Diplo and Chris Rock, from attempting to escape the festival-turned-nightmare by any means.
“I legit walked the side of the road for hours with my thumb out cuz I have a show in DC tonight and didn’t want to let y’all down,” Diplo stated in the caption of a video shared on his Instagram on Saturday.
Chris Rock and Diplo were amongst the attendees who made a run for it after the Black Rock Desert turned into a mud bath
Image credits: diplo
Image credits: diplo
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“It was pure hell (walking) through the mud. Each step felt like we were walking with two big cinder blocks on our feet,” said one of the attendees
Image credits: TheInsiderPaper
Image credits: flaskman
Image credits: flaskman
Image credits: flaskman
Image credits: jamenpercy.burn
Amidst the ongoing chaos, there has been speculation circulating that the organizers closed the area due to a potential Ebola outbreak. However, it’s important to note that this misinformation has already been refuted by both the Burning Man team and experts in the field.
“The online rumors of transmissible illnesses in Black Rock City are unfounded and untrue,” the Burning Man’s ‘2023 Wet Playa Survival Guide‘ published on Sunday stated.
Despite the extreme circumstances, most people kept their spirits high and shared their or their loved ones’ experiences
What do you think ?
Pittsburgh rare 1 year ago
l couldn't care less about the rich dudes and nepo babies being ankle deep in mud, tbh.
Caro Caro 1 year ago
People losing their homes bc of climate change. Fleeing their country bc war. THAT'S the news. Not this "oh, we're stuck in de mud" BS !!!
Load More Replies...
Jrog 1 year ago (edited)
This is BAD for the desert... The rare rains are part of the renewal cycle of the "playa", allowing it to reform the surface so to limit erosion and dust. This happening while thousands of people step on it will basically do the opposite and when it will dry up all battered and uneven the the ground will be extremely prone to wind erosion. So long for the "leave no trace" concept.
wowbagger 1 year ago
That's what I was thinking, too. They're breaking up the caliche layer that took many years to form. When it gets wet, it has that sticky, clay-like texture they're complaining about.
Load More Replies...
Alexandra Davis 1 year ago
Struggling to find any sympathy to pass on to them. I'm sure their daddies (both paternal and sugar) will throw some more money at the situation
Chloë Coles 1 year ago
This is how the majority of UK festivals end up if not worse...suck it up!
Kristal 1 year ago
Guys, people of all walks of life and all ages attend this event. It's not just "rich kids". My sister was an attendee and she paid for it with the money she earned working. It sucks being rained on when camping but it's worse when not prepared for it.
Gardener of Weeden 1 year ago
Sorry, if you can waste over 500 on a "festival", and then be dumb enough to not prepare - You deserve to be laughed at. (sympathies for the family and friends of the person who died). When camping or out in the wilderness - you prepare for anything and everything - Midsummer - packed wool hats and wool socks ( had a freak cold spell and we were toasty - most of the time they were not used.) - always packed for a full vacation of rain- happened often.
Load More Replies...
sofacushionfort 1 year ago
To the posters gloating over the “rich” people stranded: most of them only arrive for the weekend, which was curtailed this year by the rain. That’s why Chris Rock was the only famous name in the news.
Tomato Smudge 1 year ago
That's just how nature is for a lotta people. That mud sculpture's great tho
Kim Kermes 1 year ago
Let's hear more about the people whose homes were destroyed in the Palm Springs area. Not the rich, but the working folk who had hip deep muck and drywall soaked to 5 feet.
Kim Kermes 1 year ago
There was plenty of warning, as there was for the tropical storm that trapped people in Death Valley. Joshua Tree Natl Park had the sense to clear people out and close the park. The organizers had better get out there and clean up the mess.
Ąåřţđęşịɠŋȿ 1 year ago
Incredible that the organizers thought it was a good idea to hold the event in a flood zone. Doesn't anybody do due diligence any more?
Two_rolling_black_eyes 1 year ago
I've had many camping trips "ruined" by rain and snow. It can suck but if you plan ahead, its just an inconvenience. Its a risk you take when you give up indoor plumbing and a roof to enjoy the outdoors. I always feel sympathy when someone tells me it happened to them. However, I also get a dose of schadenfreude if they tell me they didn't prepare for it as I quietly think they deserve it for assuming ma nature cares about their weekend plans.
Trisec Tebeakesse 1 year ago
I think you voluntarily went out into the desert. If I only understood what this was, I might have some sympathy....but what were you expecting would happen?
Gardener of Weeden 1 year ago
It is a bunch of "rich" people who join together do lots of drugs - praise socialism and then go home and vote fascist.
Load More Replies...
Pittsburgh rare 1 year ago
l couldn't care less about the rich dudes and nepo babies being ankle deep in mud, tbh.
Caro Caro 1 year ago
People losing their homes bc of climate change. Fleeing their country bc war. THAT'S the news. Not this "oh, we're stuck in de mud" BS !!!
Load More Replies... Jrog 1 year ago (edited)
This is BAD for the desert... The rare rains are part of the renewal cycle of the "playa", allowing it to reform the surface so to limit erosion and dust. This happening while thousands of people step on it will basically do the opposite and when it will dry up all battered and uneven the the ground will be extremely prone to wind erosion. So long for the "leave no trace" concept.
wowbagger 1 year ago
That's what I was thinking, too. They're breaking up the caliche layer that took many years to form. When it gets wet, it has that sticky, clay-like texture they're complaining about.
Load More Replies... Alexandra Davis 1 year ago
Struggling to find any sympathy to pass on to them. I'm sure their daddies (both paternal and sugar) will throw some more money at the situation
Chloë Coles 1 year ago
This is how the majority of UK festivals end up if not worse...suck it up!
Kristal 1 year ago
Guys, people of all walks of life and all ages attend this event. It's not just "rich kids". My sister was an attendee and she paid for it with the money she earned working. It sucks being rained on when camping but it's worse when not prepared for it.
Gardener of Weeden 1 year ago
Sorry, if you can waste over 500 on a "festival", and then be dumb enough to not prepare - You deserve to be laughed at. (sympathies for the family and friends of the person who died). When camping or out in the wilderness - you prepare for anything and everything - Midsummer - packed wool hats and wool socks ( had a freak cold spell and we were toasty - most of the time they were not used.) - always packed for a full vacation of rain- happened often.
Load More Replies... sofacushionfort 1 year ago
To the posters gloating over the “rich” people stranded: most of them only arrive for the weekend, which was curtailed this year by the rain. That’s why Chris Rock was the only famous name in the news.
Tomato Smudge 1 year ago
That's just how nature is for a lotta people. That mud sculpture's great tho
Kim Kermes 1 year ago
Let's hear more about the people whose homes were destroyed in the Palm Springs area. Not the rich, but the working folk who had hip deep muck and drywall soaked to 5 feet.
Kim Kermes 1 year ago
There was plenty of warning, as there was for the tropical storm that trapped people in Death Valley. Joshua Tree Natl Park had the sense to clear people out and close the park. The organizers had better get out there and clean up the mess.
Ąåřţđęşịɠŋȿ 1 year ago
Incredible that the organizers thought it was a good idea to hold the event in a flood zone. Doesn't anybody do due diligence any more?
Two_rolling_black_eyes 1 year ago
I've had many camping trips "ruined" by rain and snow. It can suck but if you plan ahead, its just an inconvenience. Its a risk you take when you give up indoor plumbing and a roof to enjoy the outdoors. I always feel sympathy when someone tells me it happened to them. However, I also get a dose of schadenfreude if they tell me they didn't prepare for it as I quietly think they deserve it for assuming ma nature cares about their weekend plans.
Trisec Tebeakesse 1 year ago
I think you voluntarily went out into the desert. If I only understood what this was, I might have some sympathy....but what were you expecting would happen?
Gardener of Weeden 1 year ago
It is a bunch of "rich" people who join together do lots of drugs - praise socialism and then go home and vote fascist.
Load More Replies... 
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