Rarely heavy rains in California’s notorious desert Death Valley caused major flooding on Friday and locked down some 1,000 people, the national park that manages the place announced.
“About 500 visitors and 500 employees are currently unable to leave the” US national park due to “unprecedented rainfall” causing “significant flooding” and the closure of all roads serving the national park, located in the Eastern California.
“All roads serving the park are currently closed and will remain closed until park officials determine the extent of the damage,” the park added in its statement.
The flooding tore up sections of pavement on highways, dumped dumpsters into now-disused cars and inundated offices and hotels, the park said.
37mm of rain in one day
It received 37 millimeters of rain at one time for an average annual total of “less than 50” millimeters. Friday’s daily rainfall almost equals the park’s record.
Death Valley National Park “is known to be the hottest place in the world and the driest place in North America,” it says on its website. Tourists visit it every year.
With an atmosphere containing more moisture, global warming alters the pattern of precipitation. According to UN climate experts (IPCC), even if the world managed to limit warming to +1.5°C, some regions would experience an increase in the frequency, intensity and/or amount of torrential rains. The risk of these heavy precipitation events increases with rising temperatures.
Source: BFM TV
