DEATH VALLEY, Calif. — A chance to get away from it all turned into a flooded mess for about 1,000 visitors and employees at Death Valley National Park after the tourist destination received 1.46 inches of rain, or almost 70% of the region’s annual rainfall.
The record was 1.47 inches in 1988, The Associated Press reported.
Park officials said Friday that all roads leading to and from the federal land were closed and would remain closed “until park staff can assess the extensiveness of the situation,” CNN reported.
Officials said about 500 visitors and 500 staff members were at the park on Friday.
There were no injuries reported, according to ABC News.
Park officials told ABC News that those who were stranded were able to leave and that there were no more stranded visitors on park roadways as of Saturday.
The U.S. Navy and California Highway Patrol helicopters conducted aerial searches in remote areas looking for anyone who may be stranded in their vehicles, the AP reported.
Those who could drive out were able to do so after crews cleared paths through rocks and mud, the AP reported.
When flood water receded, it left behind mud and gravel, ABC News reported.
At one hotel, about 60 cars were buried in mud and debris on Friday, CNN reported.
It is unclear when roads will be able to reopen as many were “critically damaged,” according to the California Department of Transportation.
Many roads throughout the park have been critically damaged by the storm and are unsafe to drive on.@Caltrans9 will continue to post updates to social media as clean-up efforts progress. For the latest updates on Death Valley National Park, please visit: https://t.co/CtTPwVCyBP
— Caltrans District 9 (@Caltrans9) August 6, 2022
According to the park’s website, “In this below-sea-level basin, steady drought and record summer heat make Death Valley a land of extremes. Yet, each extreme has a striking contrast. Towering peaks are frosted with winter snow. Rare rainstorms bring vast fields of wildflowers. Lush oases harbor tiny fish and refuge for wildlife and humans. Despite its morbid name, a great diversity of life thrives in Death Valley.”
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