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submitted 3 months ago by Stopthatgirl7@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world

According to a National Park Service news release, the 42-year-old Belgian tourist was taking a short walk Saturday in the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes in 123-degree heat when he either broke or lost his flip-flops, putting his feet into direct contact with the desert ground. The result: third-degree burns.

"The skin was melted off his foot," said Death Valley National Park Service Ranger Gia Ponce. "The ground can be much hotter — 170, 180 [degrees]. Sometimes up into the 200 range."

Unable to get out on his own and in extreme pain, the man and his family recruited other park visitors to help; together, the group carried him to the sand dunes parking lot, where park rangers assessed his injuries.

Though they wanted a helicopter to fly him out, helicopters can't generate enough lift to fly in the heat-thinned air over the hottest parts of Death Valley, officials said. So park rangers summoned an ambulance that took him to higher ground, where it was a cooler 109 degrees and he could then be flown out.

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[-] DudeImMacGyver@sh.itjust.works 23 points 3 months ago

Wow, people really wear flipflops there? That's crazy.

Actually, going there is crazy too.

[-] Dashi@lemmy.world 8 points 3 months ago

That's what I'm thinking. Even in flip flops you should notice the sand being hot and think, "maybe I shouldn't do this"

[-] PraiseTheSoup@lemm.ee 7 points 3 months ago

I went there in December and it was a perfect 67° F. This was especially great because we had originally come from below zero temps in Minnesota only a few days prior. In truth though Death Valley was not very exciting and I don't think I would ever bother to return.

this post was submitted on 25 Jul 2024
561 points (98.1% liked)

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