One Year's Worth of Rain Falls in a Day in Death Valley Desert, USA... Record-Breaking Precipitation

Roads Buried in Mud... Over 400 Evacuated
Abnormal Heavy Rainfall Following Tropical Storm Hillary

In the desert region of the western United States known as 'Death Valley,' heavy rain equivalent to a year's worth of precipitation fell in a single day, leading to road closures in many areas and the evacuation of more than 400 tourists. The tropical storm 'Hilary,' which struck the western US, caused the largest recorded rainfall in Death Valley and surrounding areas.

On the 20th (local time), roads around Death Valley National Park in California, USA, were washed away due to heavy rain. [Image source=AFP·Yonhap News]

According to CNN on the 22nd (local time), the National Weather Service (NWS) in Las Vegas recorded 2.20 inches (5.59 cm) of rainfall in Death Valley National Park on the 20th. This is the highest amount ever recorded, nearly matching Death Valley's average annual rainfall of 2.24 inches. In other words, a year's worth of rain fell all at once in just one day.

The massive amount of rain in the desert area of Death Valley turned sand into mud, which spilled onto roads in many places, causing major highways to be washed away. According to the Death Valley National Park Service, some roads were severely damaged, with asphalt cracking and breaking apart. The park service stated, "Death Valley is in a dangerous state due to flooding," and closed the park entirely starting on the 20th.

The park service also announced, "More than 400 local residents, travelers, and staff are staying in shelters until the roads are safely reopened. Significant amounts of mud and gravel have flowed onto many roads, causing road subsidence and complete loss of shoulders. We will conduct further investigations before deciding on the park's reopening date."

Flooding in Death Valley, known as the driest place on Earth, is believed to be caused by global warming and the resulting extreme climate changes. The tropical storm Hilary, which developed under abnormal high temperatures, swept through California, producing massive rainfall.

As a result, the usually dry California region during summer has consecutively broken records for the highest rainfall. The Los Angeles (LA) local weather office reported that rainfall in Downtown LA, adjacent to Koreatown, reached 2.48 inches on the 20th, marking the highest August rainfall ever recorded in the area.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.