Major flooding in California’s Death Valley on Friday stranded about 1,000 people, buried cars and closed all roads in and out of the famously parched national park.
No injuries were reported, according to the National Park Service, but around 60 cars were bogged down under several feet of debris.
“Unprecedented amounts of rain have caused significant flooding,” the National Park Service said in a statement, adding that “approximately 500 visitors and 500 employees are currently confined to the park in eastern California’s Mojave Desert.”
The floodwaters tore up sections of paved roads and pushed dumpsters into parked cars, causing the vehicles to collide. The rain also flooded offices and hotels, the park said.
The park service added that all roads serving the park will remain closed until officials can determine the extent of the damage.
A total of 1.46 inches (3.7 centimeters) of rain fell in the park’s Furnace Creek area, nearly matching the previous daily record of 1.47 inches. Average annual rainfall is less than two inches per year.
Higher temperatures caused by climate change mean the atmosphere holds more moisture and releases more rain.
According to UN climate experts, even if the world manages to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, there will be an increase in the frequency, intensity and amount of heavy rain in some regions.
The risk of heavy precipitation episodes increases with rising temperatures.
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