(KTNV) – Officials say Death Valley saw nearly a year’s worth of rain in three hours last weekend.
They say the rain caused widespread damage and the closure of all roads in the park.
“The heavy rain that caused the devastating floods in Death Valley was an extremely rare 1,000-year event,” says Daniel Berc, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Las Vegas. “A 1,000-year event does not mean that it happens once every 1,000 years, but that there is a 0.1% chance of it happening in a given year.”
Additionally, many miles of roads are known to have moderate to severe asphalt damage with hundreds of miles of roads affected by debris. The condition of the road is still being assessed, as the damage prevents access to some areas by vehicle.
So far, no visitors or residents of the park are said to have been injured, and people who were previously sheltering at the site have been able to travel safely on the damaged roads. No park roads are open at this time due to safety concerns and active roadworks.
“Death Valley is an incredible place of extremes,” said park superintendent Mike Reynolds. “It’s the hottest place on earth and the driest place in North America. This week’s 1,000-year flood is another example of this extreme environment. With climate change models predicting more frequent storms and more intense, this is a place where you can see climate change in action!