European tourist suffers third-degree burns on Death Valley sand dunes after losing flip-flops

A European tourist suffered third-degree burns on his feet while walking on scorching sand dunes in Death Valley National Park after he lost his flip-flops over the weekend, according to park officials.

The 42-year-old Belgium national was rushed to the hospital after walking barefoot on the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes while temperatures reached 123 degrees on Saturday — with the ground temps even hotter, the National Park Service said.

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The man either lost his flip-flops or they broke off as he trekked on the hot sand. Because of a language barrier, it’s unclear what exactly happened.

Other park goers carried the tourist to a parking lot after his family called for help.

Park rangers determined the man needed to be rushed to a hospital because of the burns and severe pain.

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He couldn’t be airlifted from that location because it was too hot for a helicopter to safely land, the park service said.

Instead, an ambulance brought him to a higher elevation, which was 109 degrees, where a helicopter picked him up and brought him to University Medical Center in Las Vegas.

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The man suffered third-degree burns, the park service said.

Park officials stressed visitors should stick within a 10-minute walk of an air conditioned vehicle and not hike after 10 a.m.

Death Valley, known as the hottest place on Earth, has faced intolerable heat with temps regularly in the triple digits this summer.

One park ranger recently told the Los Angeles Times her tap water was 105 degrees because the pipes underground were so hot.

Park staff will even turn their hot water heaters off in order for the tap water to cool down to a steamy 80 degrees.

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