YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyoming, June 13 (UPI) — Yellowstone National Park closed all entrances on Monday amid heavy flooding causing rockslides, mudslides on roadways, and power outages in multiple areas of the park.
“Effective immediately, no inbound visitor traffic will be allowed into the park until conditions stabilize and the park can assess damage to roads and bridges and other facilities,” the National Park Service said, regarding Yellowstone, in a statement at 11:10 a.m. “This includes visitors with lodging and camping reservations.”
With rainfall expected to continue over the next several days, the NPS added that the roads may be closed “for an extended period of time,” and those who plan to visit the park “in the upcoming weeks should pay close attention to the status of road conditions.
“Multiple sections of roads throughout the park have been washed out between Gardiner and Cooke City, Montana, and multiple bridges may be affected,” according to preliminary assessments. “Multiple roads in the southern portion of the park are also on the verge of being flooded, further restricting access.”
In a statement earlier Monday morning, the NPS said visitors currently in the northern portion of the park were being evacuated.
The temporary closure to inbound traffic follows a Facebook post from the park on Sunday warning that traffic-related accidents are the most common cause of injury and death in the park, and urging drivers to practice safe driving guidelines.
