1,000 people unable to leave Death Valley National Park due to severe flooding
DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK, Calif. (KSNV) — About 1,000 people cannot leave Death Valley National Park after severe flooding hit the park, shutting down all roads into and out of it.
The National Park Service said in a statement that it would take four to six hours to open a road on Highway 190 toward the east of the park to allow people to exit.
There are about 500 visitors and 500 staff unable to leave the park as a result, according to NPS, though no injuries have been reported.
Flood waters pushed garbage bins into parked cars, causing them to crash into one another. Around 60 cars are buried in several feet of debris at The Inn at Death Valley.
Flooding has also been reported at hotel rooms and business offices.
The Cow Creek Water system, which provides water to the Cow Creek area, suffered a major break in the line due to the flooding as well. The line is being repaired and the rest of it is being inspected.
Furnace Creek received at least 1.7 inches of rain, nearly an entire year's worth of rain in one morning. More rain is expected later in the week.
