A Freak Storm Has Turned Burning Man Into A Muddy Apocalypse From Which Revelers Can’t Escape

Attending Burning Man is always a risk — a chance for the well-off to rough it in the desert while Diplo DJs a set from a hot air balloon. (That really happened this year.) Alas, this year’s festivities were rudely interrupted by Mother Nature.

As per SF Gate, on Friday a freak storm turned Nevada’s Black Rock Desert into a muddy hellscape. The conditions have made driving, even biking difficult if not impossible, meaning only emergency vehicles were allowed in or out of neighboring Black Rock City. Burns scheduled for Friday night were cancelled. The gate and airport were closed.

As for the 73,000 attendees, who ventured out to the desert to get away from it all, they were told to shelter in place and to conserve food and water. Some Burners took to prayer, chanting, “Playa gods, please stop, we want to go home.”

Things sound bleak for the many trapped in the desert. One person claimed that the flooding has made it impossible to empty the port-o-potties.

To make matters worse, AccuWeather is predicting the return of rain on Saturday night, and more on Sunday. It’s estimated that even one-hundredth an inch of rain can disrupt the festivities. It’s expected that Sunday alone will bring .33 inches.

Burning Man is scheduled to run through Monday, with the traditional capper being the torching of a giant wicker man.

(Via SF Gate)