Flash floods close Death Valley, Mojave preserve roads
DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK, Calif. — Some roads in and out of Death Valley National Park have been closed after they were inundated over the weekend with mud and debris from flash floods that also hit western Nevada and northern Arizona hard.
Officials on Sunday provided no estimate on when the roads around Death Valley would be reopened.
Motorists were also urged to avoid Southern California’s Mojave National Preserve after flooding buckled pavement on some roads. The rain also prompted closures of highways and campgrounds elsewhere, but no injuries were reported.
On Monday, park officials said Kelbaker, Cima, Essex and Morning Star roads are “closed until further notice” due to flooding.
Kelbaker, Cima, Essex, and Morning Star Roads are closed until further notice. Park staff continue to assess the damage. When conditions are safe, the preserve will reopen roads. More rain is expected. For the most current road status, visit: https://t.co/voU6V8D6A0. pic.twitter.com/vpdRzIGq68
— Mojave National Preserve (@MojaveNPS) August 1, 2022
The storms produced torrential downpours and the National Weather Service reported that more than an inch of rain fell in 15 minutes Sunday near Kingman, Arizona, which is close to the stateline with California.
In a mountainous area east of Los Angeles at the edge of the San Bernardino National Forest, mudslides sent trees and large rocks onto roads, blocking them near the city of Yucaipa.
