Chris Rock is among the few who managed to escape being stuck on the grounds of the Burning Man festival this weekend in the Nevada desert. Authorities say that around 70,000 people remain stranded with dwindling food and water supplies in the swamped area.
As of Sunday (Sept. 3), at least one death is being investigated, according to CNN. “The family has been notified, and the death is under investigation,” the Pershing County Sheriff’s Office told the news outlet. The person, whose identity has not been made public, was found in a dry lake bed. No other details about the tragedy have been revealed. Attendees were told to hunker down as they weathered the storm.
“Burning Man is a community of people who are prepared to support one another. We have come here knowing this is a place where we bring everything we need to survive. It is because of this that we are all well-prepared for a weather event like this,” said organizers in a “2023 Wet Playa Survival Guide” that was posted on the event website.
Roads surrounding Black Rock Desert have been closed since Friday (Sept. 1), when a torrential downpour flooded the grounds, causing thick mud to trap RVs and cars. The comedian, however, got out just in the nick of time with Diplo sometime on Saturday (Sept. 2).
The producer shared a video of himself, Rock, and several others huddled on the back of a vehicle as they sped through what appeared to be no man’s land. “Just walked five miles in the mud out of Burning Man with Chris Rock, and a fan picked us up,” he tweeted. Despite the circumstances, the stand-up comic seemed in good spirits while sporting a smile, dark-tinted shards, a New York Knicks jacket, and speaking about his desire to get a “cold brew right now.”
On Instagram, Diplo wrote, “Legit walked the side of the road for hours with my thumb out cuz I have a show in D.C. tonight and didn’t want to let y’all down. Also, shoutout to this guy for making the smart purchase of a truck, not knowing it was for this exact moment.”
At this rate, festival organizers believe that a mass exodus will not be viable until late Monday, but even that is contingent upon today’s rainfall and the condition of roadways.