Yellowstone National Park was forced to close all entrances to visitors this week, after heavy rainfall and snowmelt caused massive flooding to sweep through the area, ripping through roads, bridges, and homes. More than 10,000 people were ordered to evacuate the nation’s oldest national park. As of yesterday, there have been no major injuries or deaths reported, officials said.
The damage, however, is extensive and could take years to repair. “Because initial damage assessments are ongoing, the [National Park Service] does not yet have an estimate on when Yellowstone will fully reopen nor are preliminary costs for repairs and recovery available,” NPS said in a statement. Yellowstone had just celebrated its 150th anniversary in March, the Associated Press notes, and was nearing its busiest season when the floods hit.
While an official reopening date has not been set, officials said three out of the five park entrances are “targeted for reopening as early as next week.”
Here are some of the most dramatic videos and photos from the disaster:
Current conditions of Yellowstone’s North Entrance Road through the Gardner Canyon between Gardiner, Montana, and Mammoth Hot Springs.
We will continue to communicate about this hazardous situation as more information is available. More info: https://t.co/mymnqGvcVB pic.twitter.com/S5ysi4wf8a
— Yellowstone National Park (@YellowstoneNPS) June 13, 2022
Flooding at the North Entrance Road
Jacob W. Frank/National Park Service via AP
Yellowstone National Park closed for the first time in 34 years after record floods washed out roads, bridges and nearby communities, prompting evacuations https://t.co/TF0Jl9Z15y pic.twitter.com/CXPqPfvfs0
— Bloomberg Quicktake (@Quicktake) June 14, 2022
Aerial views of historic flooding on the Stillwater and Yellowstone Rivers. pic.twitter.com/OIC2JP7RXI
— Larry Mayer (@BGMayer) June 13, 2022
Flooding in Livingston, Montana, on June 14
William Campbell/Getty
@kryptekeeper Bison walking up road during yellowstone flood.#yellowstonenationalpark #yellowstoneple#yellowstonepark💜
Resident Knute Thompson looks on as volunteers clean out his flooded basement in Red Lodge, Montana
Rick Bowmer/AP
"That was our way home." Visitors at Yellowstone National Park watched as a bridge was swept away after severe flooding on Monday. https://t.co/2HxDL2nxML pic.twitter.com/TUORp1srjO
— CBS News (@CBSNews) June 14, 2022
