DEATH VALLEY (KTNV) — People that sheltered in place at Death Valley National Park for 24 hours have left the park.
According to the National Park Service, road crews were able to open an exit lane on CA-190, which provided an exit route for 400 residents, employers, and travelers.
All paved and unpaved roads in Death Valley have been damaged and are closed. Park rangers said undercutting of pavement and pavement loss make travel conditions unsafe. Additionally, four utility systems were "compromised by debris" that moved during the flash flooding, dislodging water and wastewater pipes and impacting a well.
According to the National Weather Service's rain gauge at Furnace Creek, the park received 2.2 inches of rain on Aug. 20 and set a record for Death Valley's rainiest day ever. Weather Service radar also indicated some parts of the park may have received around five inches of rain that day. The park's averages 2.15 inches of rain every year.
"Picture the mountains in Death Valley as being a steep building roof. Just like a roof, the rocky slopes don't absorb much water," said park ranger Abby Wines. "The canyons function like a rain spout, channeling that runoff. However, in Death Valley, that runoff is a fast-moving muddy soup carrying rocks."
Rangers said the full extent of the damage across the park won't be known for several weeks and roads are making travel challenging for crews to evaluate how much damage there is. However, they added aerial surveys indicated extensive flooding across the park.
Death Valley National Park is closed, as of Thursday. Park officials are asking for the public's patience while they work to reopen.
"Safety is the most important thing coming out of this storm," said Superintendent Mike Reynolds. "Making sure crews can work safely and efficiently without interruptions from visitor traffic will help us achieve that."
