LOS ANGELES, June 14 (Xinhua) -- All entrances to the Yellowstone National Park, one of the largest and best-known national parks in the United States, have been closed temporarily due to heavy flooding, rockslides, and extremely hazardous conditions, authorities said.
The 8,991-square-kilometer wilderness recreation area, largely in the northwest corner of Wyoming and extending into Montana and Idaho states, will remain closed to visitors through at least Wednesday, said park officials in a news release posted on the park's official website Monday afternoon.
"Due to record flooding events in the park and more precipitation in the forecast, we have made the decision to close Yellowstone to all inbound visitation," said Cam Sholly, the superintendent of the Yellowstone National Park, in a statement.
"Our first priority has been to evacuate the northern section of the park where we have multiple road and bridge failures, mudslides and other issues," said Sholly, adding that park officials "are working with the county and State of Montana to provide necessary support to residents, who are currently without water and power in some areas."
The superintendent also noted that visitors will be evacuated from the southern loop of the park due to anticipated higher flood levels and concerns with water and wastewater systems.
Summer is usually the busiest season in Yellowstone. The park attracted approximately 4.86 million visitors last year.
Local newspaper Helena Independent Record reported that torrential rains have washed out bridges, eroded roadways and prompted evacuations, and communities in and around the Yellowstone National Park are among some of the hardest hit.
