The organizers of the Burning Man festival in Nevada have given the go-ahead for a significant number of festival-goers to depart after wet conditions improved.
They stated that people could begin departing the desert site at noon (17:00 GMT), but they suggested delaying departure until Tuesday to avoid congestion.
Heavy rains had created a mudhole. At noon, 62,000 of the approximately 72,000 persons stranded were still there according to reports. The demise of a man on Friday at the event, according to event organizers, was unrelated to the weather.
They reported that emergency services were summoned to assist the man, who was approximately 40 years old, but he could not be revived. The local sheriff's office disclosed its investigation earlier.
The traditional conclusion of the event, the burning of an effigy, has been postponed until Monday evening.
Monday afternoon saw the lifting of the site's driving prohibition. According to event organizers, although conditions are improving and roads are drying, the playa remains muddy and may be difficult to traverse in certain neighborhoods and along the streets.
Last week's rainstorm in the Black Rock Desert is believed to have been the longest and fiercest since the festival began more than three decades ago.
Martyna Sowa, a dancer who was scheduled to perform at the event, mentioned that she was startled by the deteriorating weather. She mentioned that it was a very strange experience.
As part of the festival's ethos, revelers are expected to be largely self-sufficient and were instructed to seek sanctuary and conserve food, fuel, and water. However, because service vehicles were unable to travel on the mud to empty the portable toilets, the facilities were temporarily unavailable.
Ms. Sowa mentioned that they were told that they would not be able to leave until Tuesday, but those who must leave have been allowed to do so.
While the majority remained on-site, a select few decided to traverse 5 miles (8 km) of muck to reach the nearest road.
The event organizers arranged for buses to transport participants from the road to the nearby city of Reno. However, some participants claim they were forced to pay for transportation or hitchhike out of the area.
Noting that a transport was not guaranteed, organizers urged individuals not to walk to County Road 34. Other revelers embraced the muddy conditions by dancing in the muck and hosting karaoke parties.
On Sunday, however, the feeling of exhilaration had given way to a growing air of exasperation, as people became increasingly eager to depart.
At the conclusion of the nine-day festival, when the largest crowds had congregated to witness the grand finale - the burning of the enormous wooden effigy - unusual rainstorms occurred.
This was originally scheduled to occur on Sunday, but has been postponed by one day. Other events of the festival, including Ms. Sowa's, had to be canceled.
Even before Burning Man officially began on August 27, it was struck by Hurricane Hilary's remnants, prompting organizers to close the gates to early arrivals.
Burning Man is one of the most well-known cultural events in the United States, in which participants build a temporary city in the center of the desert. It was founded in June 1986 and performed for the first time in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada in 1990.
